


Sing Me To Sleep

by booksandtea15 (orphan_account), shitty4eyes (orphan_account)



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Kindergarten & Pre-school, Changkyun is overworked part timer and student god help him, Kihyun is a daycare worker, M/M, along with Minhyuk and Jooheon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-04
Updated: 2018-05-22
Packaged: 2019-04-18 07:42:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 20,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14208420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/booksandtea15, https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/shitty4eyes
Summary: “Yes, sweetie,” Kihyun interjected with the kind of patience only those who worked with or had children truly understood. “Because you're not supposed to eat the clay. Or the legos. You should be eating your lunch--” Kihyun gestured to the plate, where four pieces of legos sat alongside the peas.Oh dear god.Jinsoo made a quick grab for another lego and stuffed it in his mouth....Oh dear god.





	1. Fairy Castle

Kihyun loved--

“No, Suzy, get off that chair you’re gonna hurt yourself!”

Kihyun loved his--

“ _No_ , get that _out of your mouth_.”

Kihyun _really_ loved his--

“ _Put down those scissors_.”

Kihyun loved his job. He did, he really did. He loved seeing the small faces light up when they saw him coming, loved the way they screamed and giggled like everything they experienced was the _most exciting_ and _wonderful_ thing in the world. (Something he felt was sorely lacking in a lot of adults. Something that was, had been, lacking in himself.)

He could do without all the, the _fluids_ , and the constant danger of them injuring themselves because little kids didn’t know that, yes, scissors really _will_ stab you if you hit hard enough and, yes, jumping down from the swingset might _really_ break your legs. (Or your neck, god forbid.)

It was a double-edged sword.

Constant stress, but, Kihyun _really_ loved his job.

“Jinsoo, please, don’t eat the clay. Your stomach hurt _so much_ last time, remember?”

Even if he sometimes had to try really hard to remind himself of that fact. But there was always the way the kids would cling on to him, and smile widely, gums showing, or sometimes pout petulantly, when their parents finally came to pick them up, and Kihyun had to remind them that they’d see him just the next morning, to not forget their little plushie, and give them a little kiss on the cheek or the forehead before they’d finally go home. Oh, and remind them to brush their teeth. That was very, very important.

But now it was morning, and kids were pouring in as fast as their parents could drop them off. It was really _very_ early, and Kihyun was always the first teacher there, for the parents that had to go to work crazy early. Not that Kihyun minded that much; the kids were usually still so tired at 6 am and would just go back to sleep the moment Kihyun laid them down on the little beds in the nap area.

Of course, there were always the kids that had _boundless_ energy in the mornings and that just made it _so much_ more difficult to greet the kids and the parents, while still ensuring that the loud, noisy kids didn’t accidentally kill themselves. Or someone else. Mostly him.

And, of course, there’s the new kid coming in today. Hana, Kihyun remembered Minhyuk mentioning a few days ago. Three years old. Kihyun always tried to make the new kids feel as comfortable and loved as possible on their first day, knowing that they were, usually, scared and unsure of themselves. He was good at that, making people feel more comfortable. Or, well, making _kids_ feel more comfortable.

(He was… working on his grown-up social skills, okay. He was trying. Kids were just, _so_ much easier to please.)

After divesting a giggly little girl, one of Kihyun’s favourite students, Jiyeon, of her coat, sending her on her way with a high five and a pinky promise that Kihyun would read them all a story later (he always did, Jiyeon just liked making _sure_ he would), Kihyun looked up to see a young boy, man, really, pushing the door open, eyes flicking around slightly unsurely, before stepping in.

For a second, Kihyun was confused, mind scrambling to think whether or not they had a new substitute coming in today, someone Minhyuk had mentioned, until he saw the small hand clutched in the young man’s own, a small form appearing behind him, black head almost hidden behind the boy’s coat, one eye peeking out and catching Kihyun’s, before looking away quickly.

Ah, the new girl.   

The girl tugged at the boy’s coat, and he looked down, smiling brightly before kneeling down in front of her.

“Kyunggie, where are we?” she asked softly, but Kihyun was hovering close enough to hear it.

“Remember, sweetheart? I told you--it’s a fairy castle,” the boy smiled, gesturing to Kihyun--who almost jumped--”See? That boy with the pink hair? He’s one of the fairies, and he’s going to take care of you while Kyunggie works.”

The girl glanced at Kihyun shyly, averting her eyes immediately when her eyes caught his.

“Can’t I come with you?” she asked, voice dropping to a small whisper, soft enough that Kihyun had to strain to make out the words.

The boy paused, frowning softly before pulling the incredibly battered backpack off his back and putting it between them, digging in it for a second before pulling out a pink, equally battered plushie rabbit, one ear hanging by what seemed like one thread and a whole lot of grace. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. But look--” he handed her the rabbit, and she immediately latched onto it, pressing her face against its fur. “A brave knight to see you on your way.”

The kid frowned at the boy, before dramatically rolling her eyes.

“It’s a rabbit, Kyunggie.”

“Yeah, and it’s not afraid to talk smack about fairies,” he laughed, ruffling her hair a little. He glanced at Kihyun again, looking moderately apologetic. She hit him with the teddy.

“No! I combed my hair, don’t.”

He smoothed her hair down again, before pulling her in for a tight hug. “I’m gonna come back, okay? I promise. Just a few hours.” He pulled back and placed a big, loud kiss on her forehead. “I’m sure the fairies have puzzles. Do you want to ask him?”

The kid glanced at Kihyun, before shyly stepping forward, gaze fixed on the rabbit. Kihyun plastered a big, friendly smile on his face, trying his best to look as welcoming and non-threatening as possible.

“Do-- do you have puzzles?”

“Of course we do, honey. Do you want to take your coat off first before I show you? It can get a bit warm in here.”

She looked back at Kyunggie--which, Kihyun knew full well, was probably not his full name but it was all he had--as if asking for permission. He nodded with a soft smile and she turned back to Kihyun to nod, as well. She seemed to hesitate, before reaching forward with the bunny, handing it to him, he realised abruptly.

Slightly startled, Kihyun held out his hands, the rabbit being gently placed in his arms, before she shrugged of her coat herself, folding it neatly before handing it to Kihyun with a shy smile, picking up the bunny again as she did so.

“There we go,” Kihyun smiled, hanging the coat on the small coat rack and turning back. “What’s your name, sweetie?”

“Im Hana.”

“That’s a beautiful name, sweetie.”

“I know,” she said with a lilt, the boy chuckling softly behind her.

Kihyun stifled a laugh, leading her toward the puzzles area, getting out a few puzzles himself, before getting up and looking around to see the young boy still standing near the entrance, awkwardly shifting from foot to foot.

Kihyun neared him, used to this kind of behaviour. Most parents, when they dropped their kid off for the first time, had a few things to tell him about the kid, to make sure he knew how to handle the kid and what the kid liked etc. New parents were always the worst though, since they seemed to think no one else knew how to handle a kid. Kihyun was used to it though, and neared the boy with a smile.

“Is there anything else I can help with?”

“Yeah?” He shifted from foot to foot again before bowing slightly. “Right, sorry, Im Changkyun, it’s nice to meet you…?”

“Kihyun. Yoo Kihyun.” Kihyun was still smiling, even though he could hear some sort of commotion behind him. His finely tuned kindergarten senses were screaming at him to turn around and sort out the situation, but before he could get too worked up, he heard Minhyuk’s cheery voice behind him, interfering in whatever situation had been unfolding.

“I’m sorry I called you a fairy just now,” he--Changkyun--laughed nervously.

“It’s fine. The pink hair does kind of help with that description.” Kihyun shrugged. “The kids love it.”

“I can see why. Anyway, uhm, she’s new and you probably get this every time but--” He was wringing his hands nervously as the words spilled from his lips. “She’s really shy. I wouldn’t try to pressure her into any group activities or anything; she likes watching more than being the center of attention, really. And, er, that rabbit? She loves it to bits. If she gets sad or needs to sleep or anything, she responds really well to music and stuff? I hum to her a lot when she’s anxious and, er, I know this is a lot to ask but just--” Changkyun glanced to where Hana was already separating the pieces of a puzzle into edges and middles. “--Make sure she knows you’re there? You don’t have to be with her all the time or anything, that’s not what I’m saying, and she’s happier on her own half the time, but just--don’t make her feel too… alone.”

Kihyun pursed his lips slightly, before nodding. Changkyun looked incredibly nervous and anxious, and it was making something in him, the part that looked at a crying kid that had given him hell just ten minutes earlier and _still_ made him go and comfort the poor kid, _ache_.

“Of course, I get it. New kids always get a bit of special attention the first few days anyway. We don’t want them to feel abandoned, especially because it might be their first time away from their parents for more than an hour or two. We’ll make her feel welcomed. And we don’t force any of the kids to participate in anything, don’t worry.”

Changkyun’s shoulders visibly fell, letting out a breath as he ran a hand through his hair. “Great! That’s great, thanks. Uhm, you have my number. Just call me if there’s anything.”

“Of course. Just to confirm, she’s staying the full twelve hours? I just like to keep a record of the kids that stay the whole day.”

“Unfortunately.” Changkyun blinked. “Nothing personal, of course.”

“Of course. Well, if you’ll excuse me, I think I can see Jinsoo eating clay again, which, you know, not fun. For me _or_ him.”

Changkyun laughed softly. “Right. I’ll see you at six. Good luck.”

Kihyun waved him off, before turning around to glare (not meanly just, sternly), at Jinsoo, who opened his mouth, a lump of wet clay dropping out of his mouth and onto the floor.

“ _Jinsoo_ , how many _times_ have I _told you_ …”

And so Kihyun’s day began. A bit messy, trying, for the umpteenth time to put the clay in a place where the determined, climbing Jinsoo couldn’t reach it, and, in the back of his mind, almost without realising it, making a note about the young boy and the little girl, silently building puzzles in the corner.

 

\---

 

Somewhere in the midday meal, a whole event with all of its own problems and messes and Jooheon, the new part-timer that started two weeks ago having a mini-breakdown because this _was the fifth time a kid vomited on him this week_ , Kihyun trying to calm him down while still insisting that Jiyeon, the giggly girl, ate her peas because they’re really good for her, really, Kihyun lost track of Hana.

He’d been keeping an eye on her, like Changkyun had asked, trying his very best to be there with a smile and a small wave whenever she looked up, had even sent Suzy, a fellow puzzle enthusiast, though a bit more _vivacious_ , Hana’s way, hoping that they’d hit it off. Things were progressing normally, and he’d even seen Hana smile a few times. Maybe that had made him lower his guard a bit more, made him less mindful, because when he turned away from Jinyeon, after watching her eat each and every pea on her plate, he… couldn’t find Hana.

She’d been sitting at a table with Suzy, he’d seen that before he got sucked into the madness that was the midday meal, but she had been in Minhyuk’s section, and he’d… lost track of her. Easy to do, and usually easily fixable, but… she had disappeared, and when a quick look around didn’t immediately produce any results, Kihyun felt a sharp stone of panic lodge in his throat, even though he knew that, logically, Hana still had to be in the daycare center somewhere, since the door could only be opened during the day with a buzzer located behind and under the desk.

Trying not to let his panic show on his face, keeping as level-headed a smile and look on his face as he could manage, Kihyun walked over to Suzy, settling down beside her and asking in a light voice, “Hey, Suzy, honey, have you seen Hana? The new girl? Do you know where she is?”

Suzy shook her head with a loud “Nah-ah. She ran off, I think she was looking for you. Called you a pink fairy.” Suzy frowned at her peas before she turned to him with wide eyes. “You're not a fairy, are you? You'd tell me if you were a fairy, right?”

Kihyun grinned at her, one finger coming to flick teasingly at her nose. “Maybe. Call me if you see Hana though, okay? And eat your peas, they’ll make you smart.”

“I'm smart already,” she stuck out her tongue and flicked a pea off her plate.

“It’ll make you _even smarter_ . Like, smart enough that I _might_ even consider fetching you a 100-piece puzzle from the big kids’ room.”

Suzy stared at him before slowly balancing a single pea on her plastic baby blue spoon and shoving it into her mouth. A silent ‘you win, but only for the puzzle’.

Kihyun grinned, ruffling her hair before getting up and walking over to where Minhyuk was crouching next to Jinsoo, holding out his hand with a stern frown.

“Give it here.”

Jinsoo was shaking his head, mouth bulging around a curiously rectangular object. “Is mine,” he mumbled, a bright red piece of lego sticking out of his mouth as he spoke. Kihyun sighed into the palm of his hand.

“It's not very tasty, though, is it?” Minhyuk prompted, an encouraging smile on his face.

Jinsoo hesitated, before shaking his head slightly. “M’keeping it safe. Teacher Kihyun took my clay.”

Minhyuk almost laughed, he could see it in the way his mouth pulled.

“Yes, sweetie,” Kihyun interjected with the kind of patience only those who worked with or had children truly understood. “Because you're not supposed to eat the clay. Or the legos. You should be eating your lunch--” Kihyun gestured to the plate, where four pieces of legos sat alongside the peas.

Oh dear god.

Jinsoo made a quick grab for another lego and stuffed it in his mouth.

_Oh dear god._

Minhyuk gestured Kihyun away with a very poorly concealed smile and whispered, “I’ll handle this,” and Kihyun walked away, shaking his head. _This child_.

But, wait, Hana. He quickly turned around, trying his best not to look at Jinsoo who now appeared to be _stuffing leggos into his pants oh my god_ , and looked at Minhyuk.

“Okay, wait, I wanted to ask you something. Have you seen Hana? The new girl. Quiet and still a bit shy? She seems to have wandered off and I can’t seem to find her…”

Kihyun’s eye was twitching. He could _see_ Jinsoo putting the peas in the little leggo holes and then putting it in his mouth. At least he was getting food. Somehow. Oh god.

“The girl with the stupidly young dad?” Minhyuk looked up from where he was piling peas onto a lego. That's one way of feeding the kid. Kihyun just… he was just, not going to say anything. “Wasn't she building puzzles with Suzy just now?”

“Yeah, I asked Suzy where she was, but all she said was that Hana had been looking for me and…” Kihyun trailed off. He knew Changkyun had asked him to just, try to _be there_ when Hana was looking for him and he had just… sort of forgotten about it in the rush to get everyone seated and everyone fed. And he, he didn’t actually know _why_ Changkyun had asked that, had assumed it was just normal new parent worrying about their child, like a thousand parents before but… maybe it wasn’t?

Maybe it was something more?

“Maybe go check the playground? She could just be a bit overwhelmed. Especially if it's her first time in a place like this--one lego at a time, Jinsoo, and no spitting out any peas--and she might just have wanted to get away. She did look a bit shy so it could be.”

Kihyun nodded, already walking off with a quick thanks to Minhyuk and an aborted glance towards Jinsoo. He wasn’t going to say anything. _He wasn’t going to say anything_.

The playground was a small, cordoned off space just behind a glass door, which, usually closed, was now opened just slightly, maybe just enough to let a small, scared girl slip through. Kihyun stepped outside, careful to close the door behind him (he didn’t want a small battalion of kids following him through, especially so close to naptime), and walked forward, crossing his arms and rubbing at his arms a bit.

It was easy to forget, working in reasonably small, enclosed space most of the day, but it was cold outside, beginning to turn towards winter, and Kihyun keenly felt the absence of his coat. He hoped that Hana hadn’t been out here long.

“Hana,” he called out, looking into the twisting tubed slide, “Sweetie, are you here? You disappeared on me there for a second?”

Kihyun listened, still walking, but heard nothing. He grit his teeth and kept walking, glancing into every hidey hole he could think off. He’d been working at this daycare center for five years, weathered probably _thousands_ of crises. This was fine.

He neared the swing, ears still finely tuned for any sort of sound, and finally heard a small, aborted sounding sniff coming from the inside of a blue tubed swing.

Quickening his steps, Kihyun reached the swing and bent down slightly, seeing a small dark head bent over a pink rabbit, something small and pink held in her one fist.

“Hana, sweetie, are you okay?”

She startled slightly, eyes focusing on a vague point in front of her, gripping the rabbit tighter to herself.

“Hey, it’s okay, sweetie, don’t be scared, it’s just me.” Kihyun grinned slightly, pulling at his hair with one hand. “The fairy, remember?”

Hana looked up and relaxed her grip. Not much, but noticeable enough for Kihyun, someone that was _literally_ trained to see every small change in a child. “Oh. H-Hello.”

“Hi honey, what you got there? Is that your rabbit? Did he get hurt?”

“ _She_ did,” she said softly. “Her ear fell off and--and I looked for you. Didn't know what to do. Don't like crying and Suzy is loud.”

Kihyun’s heart _ached_ . Fucking, fucking _kids_. Messing with your heart like this.

“Oh, _honey_ , I’m so sorry. I lost track of you and I shouldn’t have.” Kihyun grinned slightly. “Suzy is a bit loud, yeah.” He leaned in closer, as if telling her a secret. “But, I like to think it’s because she’s just trying _so hard_ to be everyone’s friend.”

Hana rested her chin on top of the rabbit's furry head, eyes earnest. “She wants to be my friend?”

“I’m almost _completely_ sure she wants to be your friend. Suzy’s never had someone to build puzzles with before.”

“Oh. I like puzzles.” Hana smiled. “But Suz can stay, too.” She looked down at the plushie in her hands, one small hand unfurling to show a slip of what might once have been an ear. “Can you fix her? Kyunggie said fairies have special powers.”

Kihyun barely held back a whimper at the sight of this tiny girl looking at him with hopeful eyes, shivering slightly. He was so fucking weak for kids.

“Well, Kyunggie wasn’t lying.” Kihyun shifted his apron to the side, pulling a small sewing box out of the fanny pack tied around his waist, while simultaneously holding out a hand. “What about we make a deal,” he proposed, cheering silently when Hana put a tiny hand in his, “I take the rabbit, fix her up for you, and you go inside and take a nap, and when you wake she’ll be all fixed.” He pursed his lips, considering for a second. “Would you like me to put a bow on her head? It’ll make her look even prettier.”

Hana nodded, slowly scrambling out of the swing, Kihyun making sure she doesn't stumble over her own two feet, and she held out the rabbit for a second before pulling it back. “Okay, deal. But it has to be a tie bow. Not a bow on her head. That'll just annoy her.”

Kihyun grinned, holding her hand and leading Hana inside. “A bowtie, got it. Now, come on, I’m getting cold out here.” Kihyun shivered dramatically. “Did you eat all your food before you came out here?”

Hana nodded but scrunched her nose, steps fast as she headed towards the glass doors. “Not the carrots. I hate carrots.”

Kihyun pushed the sliding door open with one hand, gently pushing Hana into the room in front of him, before closing the door behind him.

“Okay, I’ll forgive you not eating the carrots this once, if you can promise me you ate all your peas,” Kihyun said solemnly, leading her to a corner where Minhyuk and Jooheon had already begun spreading small futons with blankets, tucking in kids and carrying away plates, cleaning up spilled food as they passed it.

Kihyun felt her hand slip out of his and something small and fluffy take its place. He looked down to her holding out the ear and the bunny with the cutest, sternest expression Kihyun had ever seen. “If you hurt her, I'll know.”

It said something about Kihyun’s experience with children that he actually felt a tiny sliver of fear slide down his spine.

“I won’t hurt a hair on her head.” Kihyun smiled and held out a pinky, smile widening when he saw Hana’s eyes widening. “Pinky promise.”

She curled her tiny pinky around his, moved her hand like they were finishing a business transaction and booped his nose with her other hand with a loud, “Gotcha!”

Kihyun let out a surprised laugh as he watched Hana run off to a corner where Suzy was busily ordering the other toddlers around, arranging them to her satisfaction and beaming when she saw Hana running up to her. Cute.

Kihyun, still grinning, glanced over at Minhyuk who was watching with a raised eyebrow as Jinsoo pulled lego after lego out of his pants.

“That’s not all of them,” Minhyuk said, wiggling a finger at Jinsoo. Jinsoo let a lego drop out of his mouth. Minhyuk raised an eyebrow. Another lego dropped out. Minhyuk crossed his arms. Jinsoo opened his mouth and three yellow legos, somehow stacked on top of each other, fell out.

“There we go,” Minhyuk said brightly, pulling back the blanket and gently nudging Jinsoo towards the futon. “That wasn’t that hard, was it?”

“I want them back,” Jinsoo mumbled, sounding incredibly wronged even as he snuggled into the futon, pulling the blanket over his head. Minhyuk looked on with amused affection, hands full of spit covered legos.

“Please sterilise those before you give them back.”

“What do you take me for,” Minhyuk laughed, moving onto the other kids, one of which couldn't seem to figure out which part of his blanket was ‘up’.

Kihyun moved around the room, settling kids and cleaning up the general mess, tucking Jiyeon in with a smile before looking up to see who else needed a bit of encouragement to go to sleep.

He spotted Hana had sitting down on one of the futons Suzy had strategically laid out, wringing her hands. She looked around and pulled the blanket closer, but didn't lay down.

Kihyun frowned and walked closer.

“Is everything okay, sweetie? I’m gonna fix the rabbit, you don’t have to worry about that.”

She fidgeted with the blanket, small fingers picking at the threads. “I know. I'm not sleepy, though.”

Kihyun sat down beside her, hand automatically going to stroke her back. She yawned. “Are you sure about that sweetie?” Hana’s face was slightly pinched-looking, nervous, and Kihyun tried to remember what Changkyun had said about her being anxious. “Would you like me to sing you a lullaby?”

She nodded minutely, again, one of those small things Kihyun could pick up from years of working with kids. He laid her down, tucking the blanket around her as he desperately tried to think of a lullaby. Or any soft, soothing song, really. “Is there any song you like?”

She thought for a second, before nodding. “Song from TV that Kyunggie likes. Dokaebbi. Have you watched it, Teacher Fairy? I don’t know if fairies like goblins.”

Kihyun grinned, thinking of the one particularly memorable night he had stayed up _way_ past what he should have, desperate to finish just _one more episode_ before turning in for the night, arriving at work the next morning as practically a corpse as a result.

“Well, I don’t know about _other_ fairies, but I happen to _love_ goblins.” He leaned closer, whispering, “Especially the ones who don’t have green skin or pointy ears.”

Hana laughed softly. “You’re silly.”

Kihyun shook his head, lifting a mock-affronted hand to his chest. “I’m _not_. I’m being completely serious.”

She laid her head down and looked up at him expectantly. “Do fairies have brides, too?”

Kihyun hesitated, hand pausing as it stroked her back. He knew some parents were… very traditional, and he didn’t want to get into any trouble but… Changkyun seemed nice? Maybe he wouldn’t be crucified for saying this.

“Um, sometimes. Though, boys can be brides too.”

“Kyunggie said that, too,” she said lightly.

Kihyun… didn’t know what to say to that, really. So, he settled on a smile and a nod, ignoring the lightly fluttering feeling in his chest. “And Kyunggie is right. Now, come on, let me sing you a song. You need to sleep if you’re going to have the energy to build all those puzzles and be friends with Suzy later.”

“Okay,” she said, closing her eyes and hugging the blanket closer.

Kihyun moved his hand to stroke her head, crooning in a soft, low voice.

 

_And I’m here just, just like_

_I used to be_

_We were here in old days,_

_with you, with me_

 

_All my fears have gone_

_when you whisper to me_

_No matter how near or_

_far apart, apart_

 

_When you feel so lonely_

_I’ll be here to shelter you_

_When you feel so lonely_

_I’ll be here here for you_

_Holding your hands_

 

_If I could fly above the clouds like all the birds_

_And I could hold you for a while_

_To let you feel my pulse_

_Still here all alone_

 

_My whole life and all my heart_

_You’re my whole life and all my heart_

_And I’m here home, home_

_With you_

_With me_

 

Kihyun stopped when he saw Hana’s breathing even out, her tight grip on the blanket loosening and an almost imperceptible tensing in her shoulders evening out. Kihyun smiled softly, tucking her in tightly one more time before getting up, stretching. He should get to work if he wanted to clean everything and _still_ have time to fix the rabbit before the kids woke up.

“Everyone settled down?” Kihyun asked Minhyuk, moving over to where he and Jooheon were picking up the last of the spilled food and cleaning plates and spoons.

“Yes, thank goodness,” Jooheon said, still sounding close to mental collapse. He’d gotten a new, vomit-free apron, though, at least. Minhyuk smoothed a hand over Jooheon’s back sympathetically.

“Jinsoo passed out as soon as he secured the well-being of his beloved legos,” Minhyuk said, “And even Suzy seems to have finally run out of energy. I see you found the new girl.”

Kihyun nodded, grabbing a plate and spoon to wash in the warm soapy water. “Yeah, she was hiding in the tubed swing outside.” He paused, pursing his lips. “She seems...nervous. More than most kids are, anyway. I wonder what that’s about… Also, Minhyuk, why are you indulging Jinsoo? He needs to freaking, stop eating the legos.”

Minhyuk stopped scrubbing leggos, blowing a lock of hair out of his face and turning to face Kihyun. “ _Listen_ , we’re not gonna get that kid to stop eating legos. Or like, just about anything he wants. We have to make _compromises_ , Kihyun.”

“He’s _two years old_ , Minhyuk. We shouldn’t _have_ to be making compromises.”

“ _At least_ now he’s not going around eating leggos without supervision. Which is un-arguably much worse. See it as a spoon.” He gestured vaguely to the now clean legos. “Of sorts. He’s not going to swallow them, he’s too protective of the damn things.”

Kihyun sighed. He wasn’t going to argue with Minhyuk. He was right, sort of, (even though he was really all sorts of wrong), and, really, as long as the kid wasn’t _actively_ dying, he supposed it was okay.

Sort of.

“Suzy said something about a 100-piece puzzle though,” Jooheon piped up, a thoughtful look on her face as he dried the spoons. “She said she was eating her peas to be smart. Did you really promise her that Kihyun? Aren’t we like, not allowed to touch anything in the big kids’ room?”

“No offence, Jooheon, but I’ve been working here longer than you’ve been _alive_ and--”

“You have _not_ been working here for 23 years, hyung, you are 24--”

“-- _for longer than you’ve been alive_ ,” Kihyun continued, raising an eyebrow, “and if anyone tries to stop me from doing whatever the hell I want to do, then it’s not me getting in trouble, okay?”

Jooheon’s eyes darted between the two of them, taking in Minhyuk’s amused smirk and Kihyun’s raised eyebrow before quickly nodding his head. “Right. Puzzle? What puzzle? I’m going for benefit of the doubt, here.”

Minhyuk giggled softly, putting the sterilised legos into a little plastic zippo bag, a sticker reading ‘JINSOO’. “Haven’t heard you sing in a while, Ki.”

Kihyun shrugged, fighting the heat he could feel climbing up his neck. He was _notoriously_ , well, not _shy_ about singing, per say, but very _reluctant_ to sing. So much so, in fact, that the kids had made it a bit of a competition to see who could make Kihyun sing. He did sing for them, sometimes, but it was rare enough that the kids, and Minhyuk, was still surprised every time he did.

“She was nervous, and can’t go to sleep without a song.” He shrugged again, determinedly not looking up. “It’s not a big deal.”

“Did the dad tell you that? I saw you two talking when I came in.”

“Yeah. He said she liked music when she’s nervous and sleepy, so I assumed, yeah. He… looks a bit young to be a dad, though.”

Minhyuk glanced over at Hana, fast asleep in her futon. “She’s like three, right? He looks old enough to have been out of school, at least. It’s a bit…” He frowned in search of a word. “Western, I guess. But.” Minhyuk shrugged. “Who are we to judge.”

Kihyun shrugged and nodded.

“I guess. We don’t know his circumstances or what happened, so, whatever I guess. She seems sweet, though. Quiet, but very smart.”

“Could be his sister,” Jooheon supplied from where he was leaning against the wall, eyes barely open, looking about two knocks away from falling asleep. “Jus’ sayin’.”

“Where’s the parents then?” Minhyuk wondered aloud, drying his hands and starting to organise the mis-mash of toys scattered everywhere. “Or do you think he just dropped her off?”

“That’s not really our business, you know,” Kihyun said, abruptly feeling uncomfortable with this line of questioning. He remembered the battered condition of the boy’s backpack, the way he had seemed scared and unsure of himself. He felt… extremely uncomfortable discussing this.

Minhyuk put up his hands, showing his palms. “Alright, alright, I was just curious.”

“You should be more curious about where Jinsoo put the clay, since I see it’s not on the shelf anymore,” Kihyun commented, glancing up and seeing, with a sigh, that the clay had disappeared again.

“That resourceful little weasel. I love him so.” Minhyuk sighed dramatically. “Boo me for wanting to focus on a different kind of cute boy for two seconds.”

“Minhyuk. You have a boyfriend,” Jooheon mumbled from somewhere behind them, appearing to be shoving books into the shelves.

“Just the one for now,” Minhyuk replied, a playful lilt in his voice, glancing at Jooheon behind them who blushed and looked away. Kihyun sighed. “Kihyun doesn’t have one, though. A bride, was it?”

“Listening in on conversations is for toddlers, Minhyuk,” Kihyun reminded him, sitting down and pulling out the rabbit and his sewing box again, getting to work.

“It’s so _cute, though_.”

Kihyun just shook his head, ignoring the antics of his coworkers as he focused on his work. He had a bowtie to affix, after all.

 

\---

 

Kihyun smoothed his hand over the bowtie, adjusting it to sit pink and pretty under the head of the rabbit (now with attached ear). He had found a few other frayed patches and near holes, and had done his very best to patch them up as carefully and unobtrusively as possible. He knew how attached children become to their toys, and he didn’t want this little rabbit to see its end before Hana was ready to let it go.

On that note, the first whispers and shufflings were beginning to be heard from the direction of the sleeping children, and Kihyun looked up to see several pairs of eyes, some still prone on the ground, others sitting up, blinking at him.

Kihyun smiled.

He really _did_ love his job.

He walked around, helping get the children up and moving, gently shaking a reluctant arm here or there, and coraling the more energetic of the children into helping roll up the mats and carrying them over to where Jooheon was putting them away in their little cubby holes.

Kihyun felt a small hand tug at his apron, and he looked down to see Hana looking up at him with solemn eyes.

“Is my rabbit okay?”

Kihyun smiled, taking her hand and leading her to the front desk, leaving her in front of the desk while he went behind, taking the rabbit out from under it, producing it with a little flair.

“All fixed!” he declared, walking out from behind the desk and presenting the rabbit on his hands with a flourish.

Hana smiled at first, but then frowned slightly as she leaned closer, seeming to inspect the rabbit.

“What’s wrong, sweetie?” Kihyun asked, frowning himself as he turned the rabbit around to look at it. Had he missed something? Had some of the fixes been too obvious and now it didn’t feel like her rabbit anymore? He’d tried his best to be careful, but--

“She looks pretty.”

“...You still don’t sound happy though.”

Hana crossed her arms, still frowning. “Well, when she was just a rabbit, she didn’t need a name. She was just a rabbit. But now she’s a _pretty_ rabbit. And she needs a name.”  

“Alright,” Kihyun said because that… kind of made sense. In the sense that this was little kid logic and you had to follow their particular rules to get to their particular conclusions “Do you have a name for her yet?”

“Not yet, but I’ll think about it and ask Kyunggie,” she smiled brightly, before moving forward to hug one of Kihyun’s legs. “Thank you, Teacher Fairy.”

Kihyun was smiling so widely his cheeks hurt, and he didn’t even care. This was why he always came back. This was why, no matter how bad the day had been, how stressful, how many things went wrong, how many things that weren’t supposed to get eaten almost did (and were), he never felt like coming to work was a chore. Because there was nothing _quite_ like the pure gratitude of a child, and Kihyun _loved it_.

Though…

No, Kihyun wasn’t going to ask. It wasn’t his business, and this was just another young child in his care, with a curiously young caretaker as well. But… Kihyun’s eyes flicked around, checking that Minhyuk was indeed handing the sterilised legos to a grinning Jinsoo and that Jooheon was still putting away the bedding, before leaning a bit closer to the now smiling girl.

“Is Kyunggie your daddy?”

She frowned and shook her head, but said nothing else, fiddling with her rabbit before Suzy ran up to the pair and loudly enthused about a new puzzle she found with unicorns on it. Kihyun frowned. They had a unicorn puzzle?

He smiled when they looked at him before running off to join the other kids toddling around and starting to play, Jinsoon starting to build a slightly worrisome looking construction with tables on tops of chairs, (though Minhyuk did seem to be keeping an eye, so Kihyun held off to his, somewhat, questionable judgement), though a frown quickly covered his face again.

So… Changkyun wasn’t her father. That could mean a lot of things, really. He could just be her brother, like Jooheon had suggested, Kihyun supposed. And he could just be dropping her off, coming to pick her up for his parents but… something didn’t seem right about that scenario.

Kihyun was startled out of his musings by a loud yell, and he shook his head as he jogged off to investigate the sound. He shouldn’t be thinking so hard about this. It wasn’t his business, and it didn’t matter. He was just there to care for the children. That was all.

 

\---

 

Some kids could never wait to go home, to grab onto their parents with big smiles and wave enthusiastically as they walk out. Others cried, or wouldn’t stop clinging to Minhyuk; Minhyuk, especially, was always far too popular with the children, but he did allow them to chew on legos so this was to be expected.

There were always a few that clung onto Kihyun’s apron strings as well (though far less than Minhyuk. Kihyun tried not to dwell too much on that fact. The fact that some kids liked him enough to want to stay was enough for him), and even one or two that had begun clinging onto Jooheon in the short time he’d been there.

Hana clung to Kihyun until Changkyun walked through the door, one hand slotted into his at all times, while the other hand clung onto the as yet nameless rabbit. She didn’t squeal or cry out for the boy like Kihyun had gotten accustomed to children doing when they got picked up here after a long day, but simply ran forward and clung to his jacket, which wasn’t difficult, seeing as he’d immediately crouched down when he saw her running, one hand coming up to cup her head, stroking slightly, seeming to whisper something in her ear.

All Kihyun caught was the low murmur of, “I said I’d come back, didn’t I?”

Hana pulled back, nodding, once, twice, before holding out the rabbit. “Look, Kyunggie. You were right, fairies are magic. And they sing pretty, too. Much prettier than you, Kyunggie.”

Kihyun felt a sharp, sudden hot flush heat his cheeks, as the boy glanced up at him with sharp, (though tired) eyes, crinkling at the corner as he held the rabbit and smiled at Kihyun.

“I-- she couldn’t sleep. So I sang to her a bit,” Kihyun burst out, discomfited by Changkyun’s gaze.

“And fixed the rabbit,” Changkyun pointed out, very helpfully. “It looks brand new. This morning I swore a breeze would dismantle the thing.”

“It doesn’t look brand new. I made sure not to make the fixes obvious,” Kihyun said, stepping forward, worried. He _had_ been to heavy-handed, hadn’t he. Fuck. He’d been trying so hard.

“Thank you, Kihyun. Really. For--” Changkyun glanced at Hana, who was smiling. Actually, brightly smiling at Kihyun, and Changkyun’s own smile softened perceptibly before turning back to Kihyun. “For everything.”

Kihyun thought about Hana going to hide in the swing, about not being there when she looked up.

“Hana, honey,” he said, bending down slightly. “Why don’t you go fetch your coat real quick, I just have something to say to Kyunggie.”

Changkyun scoffed a laugh and quirked an eyebrow at Kihyun as Hana ran off. “Kyunggie?”

Kihyun wasn’t blushing. He _wasn’t_.

“It’s what she calls you. But, I actually wanted to say, I kinda… lost track of her during the midday meal. I found her hiding outside in the cold with the torn rabbit, but I do want to apologise for not checking up on her during the midday meal. It… must have slipped my mind.”

“Ah. Right, no, that’s fine,” Changkyun said, but frowned, running his teeth over his bottom lip. “She can handle herself, but.”

Kihyun gaped slightly.

“She’s three years old. She shouldn’t need to _handle herself_.” Kihyun sighed, running a hand through his hair. It’s been a long day. “Sorry, I didn’t meant that… whatever way that sounded. Which was some type of bad.”

“I know that, alright.” Changkyun was staring at the ground. Kihyun’s skin felt tight and hot and this felt more intense than the debriefing he had intended it to be. “I know she shouldn’t have to, but she has, and she can, and I just told you to just make sure she doesn’t feel alone. You--” Changkyun massaged at his temples. “Sorry. Sorry, just--you told her, right? That you didn’t mean to lose track of her? That you were worried?”

“Of course. Of course I told her I didn’t mean to lose track of her. This _is_ my job.” Kihyun didn’t know why he was going on the offensive, why he was reacting to a probably just as tired and overworked person when usually, usually he was much better than this. He felt like he had stepped into something bigger than he meant to.

“I wasn’t questioning that,” Changkyun breathed, sounding tired, sound sorry. “Like I said, I’m thankful. I really am. Especially for telling me this, as well.”

“Kyunggie?”

They both looked down at the small voice, and Kihyun saw Hana standing in front of them, coat pulled on perfectly and arms crossed over the rabbit.

“Hi, sweetheart,” Changkyun said and Kihyun watched as his entire face seemed to change, lips less tight and eyes more open, less guarded, somehow. “Are you ready to go home?”

Hana nodded, loosening one hand to latch onto Changkyun’s, waving her rabbit at Kihyun with the other.

“Goodbye, Teacher fairy. You’ll be here again tomorrow, right?”

Kihyun smiled. “Of course, sweetie.”

“Then you can sing the same song again, I don’t mind,” she smiled brightly, before walking, having to tug at Changkyun’s hand. Changkyun, who Kihyun realises with a start, was looking right at him.

Kihyun’s smile faltered slightly, unsure what to do with the strange look in Changkyun’s hand, bowing his head slightly, before turning around and busying himself with seeing another child off, smiling and laughing as brightly as possible.

(His shoulders only untensed when he heard the quiet snick of the door closing behind him, but he wasn’t paying attention to that.)

“Jinsoo! My boy!” came a deep but loud and boisterous voice not five minutes later. Kihyun turned to watch Jinsoo, the lovable little idiot, run into his father’s arms, who lifted him up to sit on his shoulders.

Kihyun eyed the interaction between father and son from where he was sending a sniffling little girl on her way, widening his eyes at Minhyuk and flicking them towards the pair when he caught Minhyuk’s eyes. Minhyuk nodded. Right. Teacherly duties to attend to. After a quick kiss to the forehead and a promise that, yes, tomorrow they’ll read about the three bears and the porridge, Kihyun stood up and made his way to where Minhyuk seemed to already be having an animated discussion with the father and another man that had appeared behind the father, his one arms slung across his waist.

Kihyun blinked. Interesting.

“I really hope Jinsoo wasn’t too much trouble today,” the tall could-easily-be-a-model with his arm around the father’s waist asked, tone already (appropriately) apologetic. “I know he can be quite a handful.”

“Well,” Kihyun began, only to be waved quiet by Minhyuk.

“Of _course not_ , he’s always such a delight--”

“Minhyuk, he was eating the legos--”

The tall man wacked the shorter across his upper arm. “Jackson, I _told you_ that wasn’t funny.”

“It was _one_ time.”

“Children _learn by example_ . I _told you_.”

“Daddies, I wanna go home now.”

The stopped their bickering immediately, Jinsoo looking far too comfortable on the man’s back.

(Kihyun thought he could see the slight bulge of lego in his pants but… whatever. It’s been a long, twelve hour day. Just, whatever.)

“Thank you for making sure he doesn’t choke to death on legos,” the taller man said, sincerely.

To which Minhyuk gave a courteous bow and an equally sincere, “It’s the least I could do, Mark.”

Kihyun simply sighed, waving goodbye as the two walked out, Jinsoo seeming to be falling asleep on his father’s back.

At this point in a day he always just wanted to go home and flop down on his bed, so, really, he didn’t care enough to put up more of a protest.

(Even though he did eye Minhyuk as sternly as he could manage, trying his best not to smile. You couldn't show any weakness.)

Rattling around in the subway on his way home to his apartment, instead of the blissful quiet and blankness he usually gets at the end of the day, his mind kept wandering back to a certain little girl and a bow with a battered backpack.   
  
  



	2. It's My Job

Hana became a familiar face. Even after just a few days, she’d managed to win the hearts of all the teachers and the other children alike for her quiet but sharp nature. She built puzzles quietly with the loudest kid they cared for, and Kihyun had even seen her smack a lego out of Jinsoo’s hand. He took it and ran, of course, but the sentiment had been there.

(Kihyun might have choked up a bit at the sight anyway. He was _so proud_.)

After a week, no one looked on it strangely anymore when Kihyun went to sit by Hana during naptime, singing softly. Actually, after the first week, other kids started to tug their bedding closer (frustrating Suzy who had spent a lot of time organising the bedding _just so_ ), demanding that Kihyun sing to them as well.

Kihyun… well, he couldn’t really refuse, could he? Not when the small, expectant faces looked up at him, Hana with a solemn stare and the others with little giggles and smiles, all nodding off one by one as he sang.

(After the first time Kihyun caught Minhyuk recording him while he sang, he made it a point to confiscate Minhyuk’s phone before he started singing, only to see him the next day with a blushing Jooheon standing next to him, Minhyuk’s head leaning on his shoulder and with Jooheon’s phone held in front of his face and pointed in Kihyun’s direction, a shit-eating grin on his face. Kihyun let him be after that, if only for the slightly desperate look Jooheon sent his way after that incident.)

The day after Hana had taken it upon herself to colour coordinate the puzzles (she was eyeing the pillows, too, and Kihyun had only kept her away from the legos with the reminder that all of them had, at some point, been in Jinsoo’s mouth) Changkyun brought her in, fast asleep in his arms, face turned into his chest.

“Is she okay?” Kihyun asked, moving forward from where he had been sending a blushing little girl in the direction of the art table.

Changkyun nodded, frowning down at the girl, and Kihyun couldn’t miss the dark circles under the boy’s own eyes. “Yeah, I don’t think she’s sick or anything, just…” Changkyun sighed. “Didn’t get much sleep.”

“Was she fussy?” Kihyun asked, moving to put a hand on her forehead _just in case_ . She didn’t _feel_ warm.

“Is she ever?” Changkyun joked, only half-smiling. “I had to be up late and she’s never been keen on sleeping alone. I think the light bothered her, too.” Changkyun looked down at her. Was that guilt? “She can sleep for a bit, right? I know you guys have, like, nap schedules.”

Kihyun hesitated. Sleeping outside of scheduled nap times was generally frowned upon, mostly because having a child awake in the designated nap time while everyone else was sleeping would cause all sorts of trouble but…

Kihyun held out his arms, beckoning Changkyun to place Hana in them.

“I’ll let her sleep for an hour or so, before I try waking her up.”

Changkyun smiled tiredly, gratefully, as he walked forward and gently laid Hana down in Kihyun’s arms. He brushed a lock of hair from her face, before pressing a soft kiss there. “Thank you, Kihyun.”

Kihyun swallowed, a strange, tight feeling in his chest, very aware of the fact that he was blushing. He was used to, almost worryingly used to, little children being up in his space, tugging at him, getting close and hugging him spontaneously. He… wasn’t used to real, grown-up people actually… being this close to him.

As carefully as possible, trying not to jostle the sleeping child in his arms (who had automatically turned her face in towards Kihyun’s chest, seeking warmth), Kihyun took a step back, nodding at Changkyun.

“Of course, it’s my job.”

“Still,” Changkyun shrugged, still smiling a little. “She really likes you, you know. Talks about you all the time. I’m making an effort not to call you ‘fairy’, actually.”

Kihyun pursed his lips, trying not to smile as widely as he wanted to.

“Same goes for you, ‘Kyunggie’”

Changkyun flushed (which was only fair, really) and laughed. Minhyuk eyed them as he walked past to hang up Jooyeon’s coat by the door.

“Stop flirting with the parents, Kihyun.”

“I’m her brother,” Changkyun squeaked out immediately, like that helped.

Kihyun sighed, hugging Hana closer to his chest and taking another step away.

“I’ll just… go…”

He walked off, gesturing with his head to Jooheon to get a bedding set out of the shelves as he approached. He didn’t know if Changkyun was staying to get hassled by Minhyuk some more, but honestly, that wasn’t his problem at the moment. He had a sleeping girl to take care of, and a whole day of activities to orchestrate.

Changkyun was just another parent (brother, his mind whispered helpfully), and he was going to treat him just like one.

When he woke Hana up an hour later, she'd immediately clung to her rabbit and asked for her brother, eyes wide and… slightly scared? Kihyun frowned.

“He’s already gone, sweetie. He had to go to work. You were sleeping when you arrived. Are you still tired?” he asked when she yawned, bringing up the rabbit to cover her mouth.

“I'm okay,” she said softly, almost insistently, small hand coming up to push Kihyun away, already trying to get up. “Did Kyunggie sleep a bit too?”

“Um, no, honey. He had to go to work… Did he not sleep well either honey?” Kihyun almost stumbled over the words, feelings slightly guilty asking this of a three year old. It wasn’t his business, and most likely, if it was something Changkyun didn’t want him to know, she wouldn’t know and would just tell him anyway.

“Don't think he slept,” she mumbled, rubbing at her eyes. “The books kept him awake.”

“The books? Was he reading a story?”

Stop asking questions Kihyun, this isn’t your goddamn business.

She shook her head. “No, not story. Big stupid books from his bag. Said it was school. Said sorry a lot cos of the light. I hope he sleeps a bit on the bus. He doesn't have a fairy to help.”

Changkyun… was going to school? Kihyun had seen him arrive in an apron a few times already, the logo of a restaurant stitched onto his chest. He obviously worked. This wasn’t… no. This was his business now. A student of his, a child he had been charged to protect, was tired and not getting enough sleep. No matter how sorry Changkyun was, Kihyun had to talk to him.

(At least, that’s how Kihyun rationalised the sudden sharp pain in his chest at the thought of the tired boy sitting at desk through the night, head nodding over some books and trying to console a sleepless Hana.)

“Hana…” Kihyun hesitated. He was taking advantage of a kid’s honesty. No, he wouldn’t ask that. He’d speak to Changkyun himself when he came to pick her up. “Come on, Suzy’s been holding off on building the new Beauty and the Beast puzzle because she was waiting for you.”

Hana’s eyes lit up and with new-found energy and she nodded and waddled over to where Suzy was sitting, staring at the unopened puzzle (while simultaneously pushing Jinsoo away every few seconds, shaking her head sternly as he tried to open the puzzle).

(Kihyun shouldn’t encourage such behaviour, but he couldn’t deny he was amused as the sight of a tiny bossy girl sternly shaking her head at a pouting Jinsoo.)

At nap time, Kihyun did, admittedly, also let Hana sleep a bit longer than the other kids. Just… like ten minutes. Barely anything. Barely noticeable, but enough that the slightly tired moves the girl had been making the whole day, being a little less bubbly than before, seemed to fade away. She was still quiet, still reserved, but she smiled when babbling away to Suzy, and that made something in Kihyun’s chest, something tight and concerned, unfurl slightly. Let him _breathe_ , slightly.

He really needed to have a talk with Changkyun. Kihyun could probably let it go, it was just the once, so far, but… it could happen again.

Kihyun didn’t know how to explain the feeling he had in his chest when he looked at the children in his care. He’d once heard a parent describe their love for their child, children, really, as all-encompassing and somehow divided but not, but, for him that didn’t really cover it. He didn’t feel like a parent did, he though, but… he felt _so much_.

He couldn’t control what went on in the child’s home, frequently can’t even control what they did in the daycare (looking at you, Jinsoo), but he felt such a fierce protectiveness and _responsibility_ over these children that, sometimes, late at night when he’s falling asleep, it knocked him just about breathless.

He’d had to talk to parents before, had to tell them that their child was doing something, saying something worrying, or expressing some behaviour that Kihyun was concerned where they had picked it up. Sometimes, after those exchanges, the kids were taken out of his care, parents offended, or something. He couldn’t just let something like this go, turn his cheek, and then…

Kihyun took a shuddering breath.

And then there was something wrong. Something really, really, wrong. And Kihyun could have done something and he didn’t. Kihyun had had to deal with social services or the police before--of course he had, he’d been here for years now, it was to be expected--but he never wanted to have to call them again over bruises that couldn’t have just been falling off the swing set or running into the glass door.

 _Not_ that he thought Hana was being abused, but… it fell into the same category. And something was obviously wrong. And Kihyun had a responsibility. He couldn’t _not do anything_. It was against his nature.

So, when the time rolled around for the parents to come pick up the kids, Kihyun had an eye out for Changkyun, laying out a new puzzle for Hana so she would have something to distract her while he and Changkyun had their _talk_.

When Changkyun came in, he wasn’t wearing an apron, but his shirt was clearly stock made, company logo on the breast pocket. He had his backpack slung over his shoulders. He looked exhausted.

“Changkyun,” Kihyun called out, getting up from where he had been crouching next to Hana, ‘helping’ her build the puzzle. Hana started getting up to greet her brother, a wide smile on her face but Kihyun delicately laid a hand on her shoulder. “Sweetie, would you mind quickly finishing the puzzle? I just want to talk to Kyunggie for a second.”

“Oh,” she said, sitting down again, pouting slightly. “Kay.”

Changkyun frowned, watching their exchange. He shifted from foot to foot as Kihyun walked up to him.

“Is everything okay?”

Kihyun beckoned him over to a corner, leaning slightly against a shelf when he got there.

“Sort of. I just want to talk to you about why Hana was so tired this morning. If she’s not sick… well, she told me you were saying something about school?”

Changkyun blinked, shifting on his feet again. “Ah. Right, yeah, I had an exam this morning. I had to study as much as I could, I--” Changkyun sighed, rubbing at the bridge of his nose.

Kihyun pursed his lips. Okay, he could be delicate and subtle. He worked with kids for a living. This should be easy. Grown-up social skills.

“Not to be rude, or anything, but, where are your parents?”

Foot, meet mouth.

Changkyun froze, shoulders tensing up and eyes widening as they stared at the floor.

“Sorry, I just… Hana doesn’t talk about anyone… except you, that is. And children tend to talk about their parents a lot. I wouldn’t say anything, but I’m just… worried about her,” Kihyun finished lamely.

“That’s fine, that’s good, she’s just--she’s better off with me, and I’m sorry, really, I’ll--I’ll make a pillow fort or something for her, next time, or--or go study in the bathroom--” he laughed, hand rubbing the back of his neck. “Or something. I’ll do better.”

Kihyun hesitated, chewing at his bottom lip. On the one hand, Changkyun was obviously not okay. He had dark circles extending all the way around his eyes, his skin was haggard and almost grey, and Kihyun could swear he looked thinner than he had two weeks ago. On the other hand, this was one, seemingly isolated incident. He didn’t know their situation, or why Hana was better off with Changkyun. And, apart from this incident, Hana seemed like a normal, happy, if a bit quiet and reserved, three year old girl. He’d addressed the situation, he’d made the caretaker aware of it. At this point, there wasn’t much more he could do.

“Okay,” Kihyun nodded. “I don’t know your circumstances, or why she’s not with her parents, but I’ll choose to believe you for now. I just… wanted to bring this to your attention.” Kihyun didn’t feel at ease with the situation, not at all, but… this was what he could do.

“Thank you,” Changkyun breathed, eyes finally looking up at him.

Kihyun nodded, uncomfortable, before looking over to Hana to see her watching them intently. The puzzle was finished in front of her--a small house by a lake pictured there--and she ran up to the two of them, pulling at Kihyun’s jacket. Changkyun’s eyes immediately softened as they turned to her.

“Hello, sweetheart,” Changkyun said.

“No, not you,” Hana said, pulling at Kihyun again.

Shooting an amused glance towards Changkyun, who seemed slightly stricken, Kihyun bent down. “Yeah, what’s up sweetie?”

Hana spoke like she meant to whisper, but wildly mishot her estimation of human hearing. “Is Kyunggie your bride?”

Kihyun had never blushed so hard, or so quickly, in his entire life.

“ _Hana_ ,” Changkyun spluttered, “Why would you--what--”

“Teacher Fairy said brides can be boys too, and you’re a boy.”

Kihyun was scarlet. And he was going to die. Where was Minhyuk when you needed him.

“Um, yes. But, um, Hana, honey, I didn’t mean-- well, you see--”

Hana frowned, tugging at Kihyun’s sweater. “What’s wrong with Kyunggie? He’d be a good bride.”

Changkyun was making choking sounds behind Kihyun. Kihyun was Not Looking At Changkyun.

“And Kyunggie said that you’re cute so I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.”

“Oh.” Kihyun’s voice sounded slightly strangled. He didn’t know what to do about that. “Is that so?”

“You have _pink hai--_ Hana, it’s time to go home now,” Changkyun said, voice high pitched as he took a few steps backward and motioned for Hana to come toward him.

Kihyun was still bright red, ears flushed and pink, but he let out a stifled giggle anyway. Kids, man, you gotta love them.

“Bye Hana, bye Kyunggie,” Kihyun giggled after them, waving, delighting in the way Changkyun seemed to stumble over his shoelaces, looking backwards with wide eyes before hurrying Hana out the door.

Kihyun turned around, to assess the number of children still left in his care, just to see Minhyuk leaning against a wall and smirking like a cat that had gotten into an entire cream factory.

“You saw nothing.”

“I can’t tell where the hair ends and the ears begin.”

“ _Shut up_.”

“Teacher said a bad word!”

Jooheon called from across the room. “Jar!”

Sighing, Kihyun pulled out his wallet, depositing another dollar in the almost entirely funded by him candy money jar. Sometimes it really sucked having a temper.

He _had_ just somewhat scolded Changkyun, after all.

Anyway, this whole, Hana thing… well, it had been sorted out. It had been a one time thing, and Changkyun had looked appropriately chastised and guilty. It wasn’t going to happen again. The worry that had scratched at his insides had subsided.

That was, until Hana showed up the next morning in the same clothes she’d left in.

 

\---

 

Jooheon was doing a wonderful demonstration of how to Make Your Own Ham and Cheese Sandwich, the kids absolutely enraptured by his display of layering a piece of ham between two pieces of cheese and then--to their amazement!--two pieces of bread.

(Kihyun was only slightly, minisculely, jealous of the fact that all the children had clamored to have Teacher Honey be the one to man the demonstration, even though Kihyun could admit, reluctantly, that Jooheon was better at the whole not losing his patience with the kids not doing it correctly.)

“Teacher Honey! Look at my sandwich!”

“No, Jinsoo, dear, that’s just ham.”

“Sandwich!”

“It needs bread to be a sandwich or--or you could just use cheese as bread, that works.”

“No, it doesn’t,” Suzy said, pouting, holding up a perfectly put-together sandwich, even cut up into little triangles.

“We encourage creativity here, Suzy.”

Suzy leaned into Kihyun sitting beside her, whispering confidentially, “Jinsoo’s just not very smart, right?”

“Yes, but we don’t tell him that, sweetie,” Kihyun said, ruffling the little girl’s hair. “Bring me your plate when you’re done, alright?”

She nodded, nibbling at the corner of her sandwich and Kihyun laughed softly as he made his way over to where Minhyuk was cleaning up while the children were distracted by food. Cleaning with children in the vicinity was an incredibly futile and frustrating task.

“You’re not supposed to say the children are dumb,” Minhyuk chastised gently, reaching up to tweak at Kihyun’s ear lightly.

“You are older than me by barely a month,” Kihyun said, swatting his hand away. “And I didn’t _say_ he was dumb. In that many words.”

“It counts,” Minhyuk said, shrugging and depositing a pile of dirty toys in Kihyun’s arms.

Kihyun sniffed, leaning away from the probably spit-covered toys. “You know, technically, going by hierarchy, I’m your senior.”

“I have a wider range of experience,” Minhyuk said, proudly. “In _a lot of things_ , Kihyunnie--oh no wait, Teacher Fairy, I forgot about your new Im Induced Monicker.”

“We’re not supposed to make innuendos around the children, Minhyuk.”

“They don’t _understand_ the innuendos; it’s a swear jar, not a Thinly Veiled Metaphor for the Horisontal Tango Jar. Pass the Pooh.”

“I, for one, am looking forward to them using those expressions in front of their parents,” Kihyun huffed, lightly kicking the Winnie the Pooh plushie in Minhyuk’s direction.

“When Suzy calls Jinsoo an idiot, we’ll talk,” Minhyuk grumbled, snatching up the plushie.

Kihyun grinned. It faltered, however, as his eyes fell upon Hana, sitting and smiling and preparing her sandwich, dressed in the exact same clothes as the day before. Right. They had a situation.

“Minhyuk? Can I… ask you something?”

Minhyuk paused, plopping the basket of mildly nibbled toys onto the washing machine. “Is this, like, a serious question or one of _those_ questions? Google is there for a reason.”

“What even-- _No_ , Minhyuk, go-- gosh. Get your head out of the gutter.”

“It’s nice and warm there,” Minhyuk pouted. “Smells like honey.”

“You sound like Pennywise.”

“Why the _entire_ internet wanted to get reamed by a clown is beyond me, like, the _fish I get--_ ”

“Oh, for f-- That _has_ to be a bad word. Come on, jar, come on.”

“It’s all about the tools, Kihyun.”

“We’re gonna get suspended I swear to all--” Kihyun took a deep breath, shaking his head at Minhyuk’s grin. “Whatever. I have a real-life serious question.”

Minhyuk nodded, looking entirely serious. “Wouldn’t want you, our boss, to suspend us. What’s the question?”

Kihyun shook his head, but, with a final look, finally got down to the whole point of the conversation. “I’m… worried about Hana. She was tired yesterday and, well,” Kihyun lowered his voice, “she’s wearing the _same clothes_ as yesterday.”

“Ah,” Minhyuk said, biting his cheek. “Maybe he just didn’t get time to do the laundry. It happens.”

“Okay, but still. Like, this isn’t… normal. I mean, the people who drop their kids off here have probably never even _heard_ the words ‘dirty laundry’,” Kihyun groused.

Minhyuk sighed. “Yeah, I was wondering about that. We’re a bit of a reach for someone clearly working and studying at the same time.”

Kihyun shifted, watching the kids out of the corner of his eye (it was second nature by now, necessary for someone who worked with children and didn’t want to turn around one day to a bunch of crying and injured toddlers). “Has she ever, like, complained about being hungry? Or something?”

Minhyuk hesitated, plushie in hand, thinking. “No. No, she hasn’t. She’s always clean, too. Clings to Changkyun every morning, though, I’m sure you’ve noticed. A bit… Unnaturally uneager to let go.”

“A bit, like, _too_ hesitant, yeah,” Kihyun mused, sharp eyes watching Jinsoo eyeing the small, unsharpened knife Jooheon used to cut his sandwich. It was _very_ blunt, but still. Kids, man.

“She really loves him” Minhyuk said with a small smile. “You’re very soft around them.”

“I care about all the children. That’s all.”

 _“Both_ of them. ‘Kyunggie’ included.”

Kihyun turned to face Minhyuk, exasperated sigh at the ready, when a sharp yell echoed behind them. Kihyun whirled around, eyes immediately going for the source of the sound, eyes going hard and sharp (even as his heart beat unevenly, nervously, more scared than he’d like to admit), as it landed on Jinsoo, Jooheon hovering over him, looking distressed.

Kihyun took a few quick steps forward, fear making him glare.

“Jinsoo!” he burst out, hard and sharp and the child jumped, startling Jooheon. “What did you do?”

“He cut himself,” Jooheon said, pale.

“ _How even_ \-- Jinsoo! Didn’t we tell you to stay away from the knife? We told you all, lots of times. You know, a lot of times we only say stuff to _protect you_ and--”

A hand on Kihyun’s shoulder stopped his tirade, and he looked back to Minhyuk shaking his head and pulling him backwards a bit.

“Get the first aid kit, Jooheon,” Minhyuk said from next to Kihyun, before moving past him to crouch in front of Jinsoo. “Are you alright, darling? Show me your hand.”

Kihyun stood behind Minhyuk, breathing heavily, hands on his hips. He… shouldn’t have burst out like that. Even now, standing there in the heat of his anger, Kihyun realised that. He always had a bit of a hair trigger temper, always had to put twice as much effort as everyone else to keep himself in check. Sometimes, (today), he loses, (he lost.)

The other children were standing around, some frozen with their sandwiches to their mouths, others beginning to cry in sympathy shock, and Kihyun sighed, shook himself together, and went around, consoling tears and reassuring them that, really, he wasn’t angry. He had just been scared. He was sorry.

After calming down a little, Kihyun made his way over to Jinsoo, who was still sobbing lightly, staring at his plastered finger.

“Jinsoo, honey? Can you come here, please?”

Jinsoo waddled forwards, looking down at his hand now bandaged hand incredibly guiltily, sniffling and wiping at his face with his other grimy hand.

“I’m sorry, Teacher Fairy.”

Kihyun sighed, holding his arms open, until Jinsoo had nestled against him, sniffling.

“It’s okay, sweetie. I was just worried. _How_ did you manage to do that?” Kihyun asked, lifting a hand to pet at Jinsoo’s head as he shook it, and kept his hand there, petting softly until Jinsoo stopped crying. “Just don’t do it again, alright? You made me very, very scared."

“Your scared is scary,” Jinsoo said, leaning back to wipe at his tears. Kihyun tried not to think about all the snot now on the kid’s sleeve. And his apron.

“I’m sorry, honey, I’ll try not to do be that scary again, alright? But then you _have_ to promise me not to cut yourself on a toy knife again, alright?”

Kihyun glanced up to where Jooheon was frantically moving the ‘sharp’ edge of the incredibly blunt, plastic knife over his hand, to no avail, if the confusion on his face was of any indication.

“I promise. Can I get some clay?”

“Absolutely not, dear,” Kihyun said, kissing the boy on the forehead before he ran off, seemingly now unperturbed by his bandaged hand.

Smiling, softly, Kihyun stood up, gaze almost automatically going to where Hana was… supposed to be. She _had_ been with Suzy, Kihyun was sure of that. He distinctly remembers seeing her happily building a castle out of (uncontaminated) lego blocks.

That was, of course, before Jinsoo had cut himself ( _somehow_ ) on the plastic knife. He looked around, already having to try and rationalise the worry heavy in his stomach. It was a _second_ ago and they’d started locking the door ever since she sneaked out and--

Hana was sitting under the teachers’ desk, clutching the rabbit to her, head down, face buried in the plushie.

Kihyun stepped forward, relieved, still smiling, before he saw Hana glance up at him, quickly, before looking down again and burying her head even further into the rabbit. (Still unnamed. He had asked her, the day after he fixed the rabbit, whether she had thought of a name yet. She’d simply shaken her head shyly, and said that the rabbit didn’t want a name.)

“Hana, sweetie, are you okay? Why are you under the desk?”

She scooched away from him, just slightly.

“Hana?” Kihyun paused a few feet away, frowning. Was she not feeling well?

She peeked up at him, clearly hesitant, bangs in front of her eyes and rabbit pressed to her face. Kihyun crouched, trying to get closer to her, holding out a hand, only to have her flinch back, _violently_. Appropriately startled now, Kihyun himself flinched backwards, eyes wide.

“Hana, honey? I’m sorry, I won’t come closer, can you tell me what’s wrong?”

Hana spoke so softly he almost didn’t hear her. “You’re angry.”

“I... I _was_ angry. More worried than angry, though. I wasn’t, I wasn’t really angry. I’m not angry anymore, honey. I’m sorry if I scared you.”

Kihyun didn’t know what to do. Yes, he’d had to deal with domestic abuse cases before, impossible not to if you work with children this closely, and _of course_ he always felt bad when he, inadvertently, did something that scared the child (though, a few times, those reactions had led to them being able to place the child in a safer environment), but… it wasn’t like this.

His heart was pounding, aching, and he felt too big and too clumsy, embarrassed and angry at himself for scaring this, this child that had climbed into his heart so quickly it was almost _scary_ yet desperately trying not to show any of those emotions, shitscared of frightening her any more than he already had.

(What Changkyun had said, about her being better off with him… if Kihyun found out she had been hit, manhandled, with her parents, well, he was scared of what his temper would do.)

Hana lifted her head a bit more, looking at Kihyun with searching, frightened eyes. “I… I want Kyunggie.”

Kihyun wanted to _cry_.

“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry, Kyunggie’s only coming in a few hours…” He saw the corners of her mouth turn down even more, and he quickly fumbled around in his apron, pulling out his phone. “But, if you want, I can go look up his number and we’ll see if he can talk to you?”

Hana smiled softly, nodding a little. “Please. Th-thank you, Fairy.”

Kihyun nodded quickly, pushing past Minhyuk, who had come closer with a worried expression on his face, clicking around on the computer until he found Changkyun’s contact information. Kihyun keyed in the number, pressed dial, and held it to his ear, holding his breath as the phone rang. And rang. And rang.

Kihyun was worried it would go to voicemail when--

“Hello? Er, Changkyun here.”

“Changkyun! Hi, it’s Kihyun. From the daycare.”

“Riiight, so _not_ Kihyun from bible camp. Is everything okay?”

“Hana… there was an incident? I think. Hana wants to talk to you.”

“Oh. Oh, okay, just--” There was noise on the other end of the phone, and when Changkyun spoke again, his voice had a slight echo, like he was in the bathroom. “Give her the phone. Please.”

Kihyun walked out from behind the desk, beckoning Hana closer, who had been watching him with hawk eyes ever since he put the phone to his ear. Hana all but dashed closer, holding out an eager hand as Kihyun reached forward and placed the phone in her hand.

Holding it carefully, and with both of her small hands, she placed the phone against her ear.

“Kyunggie?”

Kihyun hovered. There was no other word for it. He could feel Minhyuk looking at him, knew he should take a few steps back, but his hands were still shaking a bit and Hana still looked near to tears and he just _couldn’t_ go away.

“The boy--I told you about him, Jinny, he got hurt. Mhm. I’m okay, I promise.” She nodded enthusiastically. “It’s okay, I--” She glanced at Kihyun and lowers her voice. “The fairy got mad. He’s scary when he’s mad. I know. I know, he told me. I will. It’s okay I just… miss you, Kyunggie. I know. Don’t work too hard, okay? Oh, okay. Love you. Here.”

Hana held the phone out to Kihyun at about the same time that he registered that her last word had been directed towards him.

“You okay now, honey? Do you feel better?” Kihyun asked, anxiously, as he took the phone back, desperately wanting to reach out and smooth down her hair, but hesitating, unsure.

She nodded happily. “I do. Thank you, Fairy. Kyunggie wants to talk to you.”

Oh. Right. The phone. Right.

“Hi, sorry, forgot the phone was still… yeah.” Kihyun gave an embarrassed laugh.

“Hah, it’s fine,” Changkyun said, laughing softly. “Listen, I have to get back before my boss gets suspicious. Just wanted to let you know that someone else will be picking Hana up today. I’m so sorry, they threw another shift at me and--well, yeah. His name is Hyungwon. Tall. Resting existential crisis face. Er. He’s a model, you can’t miss him.”

“Oh, okay. Does Hana know him?”

“Yeah, he comes over a lot, she loves him.”

Oh. Right. A _friend_ . Okay, then. Not that’s it _any_ of Kihyun’s business.

“Oh. Okay, well, I’ll keep an eye out. Bye.”

“You do that. See you tomorrow morning.”

Chankgyun put the phone down.

 _I’ll keep an eye out._ Wow, Kihyun really had a way with words. See, _this_ was why he always got bad marks in essays.

“You okay there?”

Kihyun turned around to see Minhyuk standing behind him, arms crossed.

“Um, yeah. Hana was just a bit upset. I just called Changkyun to set her a bit at ease.”

“Oh.” Minhyuk glanced at Hana, who had resumed her lego castle with Suzy, rabbit tucked under one arm. “Glad everything’s sorted.”

“Yeah,” Kihyun said, knowing things weren’t. “Yeah, me too.”

 

\---

 

 _You can’t miss him_.

At five minutes to six, a tall man who could most definitely _be_ a model and therefore had to be Changkyun’s Hyungwon, walked into the daycare center, looking lost.

“Are there children here?”

Kihyun paused. Kihyun looked around the room currently filled with children readying themselves to go home.

“...Yes.”

“Right. I’m looking for a specific one, Im Hana, could you point me to--”

“Wonnie!"

This fully grown man nearly toppled over with the force of a three year old girl running forward to hug his legs.

“Found her,” the tall man, Hyungwon, said, smiling as he looked at the small dark head smushed into his leg. “Thanks, though.”

“Yeah…” Kihyun trailed off, eyebrow lifted as he watched Hyungwon take Hana’s hand and lead her away. Even though she obviously knew him, he had his doubts about sending Hana off with a man who walked into a _daycare_ and asked if there were any children.

“Are you alright, Hani? Kyun said you were upset earlier.”

Hana nodded, two big nods. “I’m okay. You don’t need to fight anyone.”

“I don’t fight people, Hani,” Hyungwon sighed. “I just threaten to.”

“And they believe you?” Kihyun couldn’t help but ask, glancing at the tall, very thin body before him.

Hyungwon turned his eyes toward Kihyun, a slight frown there before he stood up. “Ah. You’re Kihyun, right?”

“...Yes. How do you know my--”

“Well, to be fair, I know you better as Teacher Fairy, but I assumed you wouldn’t want to be called that.” Hyungwon was smiling, pleasant, pleasant, so _pleasant_ , but there was a gleam in his eyes that had Kihyun taking a slight step backwards.

“Hana calls me that, yeah.”

“Wasn’t talking about Hana. Do you have your coat, dear?”

Then, before Kihyun had a chance to dissect that ridiculously loaded statement, Hyungwon waved and led Hana out the door.

Jooheon waved a hand in front of Kihyun’s face. “Dude. Hyung. Dude.”

“What?” Kihyun snapped, blinking. How long had he been standing there?

“What did that door do to you, man.”

“It was too tall,” Minhyuk quipped out of nowhere, walking past the pair of them.

“It wasn’t-- I’m not-- Am I just Teacher Fairy now?”

Jooheon frowned. “You know, actually, I don’t think even Minhyuk’s called you Kihyun for about a week now.”

“That’s just… that’s just great. That’s great. Thanks.”

Jooheon gave him a pat on the back. Kihyun supposed it was supposed to be reassuring.

“Think Changkyun’s hitting that?”

Jooheon choked.

“That, too.”

“Minhyuk we _talked about this_ . _Not in front of the children_ . _Or_ their parents,” Kihyun hissed, flushing bright red as a few curious parents turned to look their way.

Minhyuk shrugged. “Just looking out for you and your bride’s newly established wedship.”

“ _Minhyuk_ ,” Kihyun groaned, just as Jooheon’s eyes widened and he let out a delighted, “His _what_?”

“It’s a fairy thing, honey dear, I wouldn’t worry your pretty little head about it,” Minhyuk said, ruffling a hand through Jooheon’s hair.

Kihyun wasn’t going to ask about that.

 

\---

 

It’s been a few days since the incident. Been a few days since Kihyun saw Changkyun. Been a few days of Hyungwon dropping in, morning and evening, to drop Hana off and pick her up, and, well, Kihyun shouldn’t be, but he’s _worried_.

(He shouldn’t be, not really. Not in more than a professional way, not in more than a, a teacher way. Changkyun… well, Jooheon said _the thing_ , and Hana kept coming with Hyungwon, so it was, well, it was only _common sense_ to assume that, well. You know.)

 _Did he have to be so tall, though_.

Kihyun shook his head. Nope. Not going there.

Actually, speaking of which--“Did Changkyun say he wasn’t bringing her in today?”

“Not to… me,” Jooheon said, looking uncertain.

Smiling indulgently, Minhyuk ruffled Jooheon’s hair as he walked past. “No, I don’t think he said that. Is he still not here? It’s half past six.”

“Maybe his boyfriend is only bringing her in a bit later?” Jooheon asked.

“I mean, was it ever _established_ that--”

“He could just be running late, we don’t know,” Minhyuk shrugged. “He’s clearly a busy kid.”

“Okay, yeah, but he never _said_ that Hyungwon was his--”

“Kihyun,” Minhyuk said, gently, looking as if he was biting back a smile. “Why do you care?”

“...I don’t. I’m just saying, he never _said_ Hyungwon was his boyfriend. So, like. We shouldn’t assume.”

“Hana said you’re his bride. I’m _assuming_ we’re not supposed to _assume_ about that either?”

“Well, she’s three years old, so, _no_ ,” Kihyun huffed, crossing his arms.

Minhyuk clearly tried not to giggle but did anyway. “You sound so _wronged_. Seriously, Kihyun, I’m sure it wouldn’t kill you to ask a guy out on a date.”

‘Why are we talking about dates I’m not-- We have work to do, okay. The disrespect,” Kihyun tutted, turning around to walk away, ignoring the muffled giggles of Minhyuk and Jooheon behind him. Just as he took a step, he heard the door behind him frantically being knocked on.

Kihyun groaned. “The buzzer is there for a _reason_ I cannot _believe_ \--” Kihyun pressed the button under the desk and Changkyun practically ran into the door.

“He’s here,” Minhyuk said, helpfully.

“Possibly concussed, too,” Jooheon added, equally helpfully. Sometimes, Kihyun really had to remind himself that he actually _liked_ his coworkers.

Changkyun managed to open the door and stumbled in, giving Hana an incredibly quick kiss on her head and giving a thumbs up in Kihyun’s general direction before dashing off again, barely missing the door.

“He’s late,” Hana said, wide-eyed, looking slightly rumpled, as if she was rushed out of bed herself. She was holding a banana.

“Is that your breakfast, sweetie?” Kihyun asked, smiling despite himself. It was a little funny, okay.

“I had a cereal bar, too,” she said around a yawn.

“That, that’s great, honey.” Kihyun bit his lip. Hana’s eyes were sleepy and soft, there was a pillow crease on her cheek, and Kihyun was _soft_.

She rubbed at her eyes as she wandered into the daycare, Kihyun having to stop her to shrug the coat off her shoulders and she stood there with her eyes closed as he did before she just wandered off again. It was the cutest thing.

“I want to kiss her little cheeks,” Minhyuk cood from behind Kihyun.

Kihyun grinned, walking back and pushing the still ajar door completely closed. “Same.”

Minhyuk walked over when he saw her little hands struggle to peel the banana, eyes barely open. “Here, let me.” She handed the banana over. “Where’s your rabbit today, sweetheart?”

Hana blinked up at him before down at her hands like it was supposed to be right there and yet, wasn’t.

“I don’t… where’s my rabbit?” She blinked, looking over at Kihyun. “Teacher Fairy, where’s my rabbit?”

“I don’t know, dear. Did you bring it with you?”

Her bottom lip wobbled. “No. I forgot. She’s on my bed. I forgot my bunny.” Her lip wobbled, dangerously, now, eyes shiny.

Kihyun’s heart lurched. “Oh, _honey_ , I’m so sorry.” Kihyun glanced over at the daycare’s own supply of plushies. “Do you want me to go get you a teddy?”

“I want my rabbit,” Hana cried. Actually cried. Oh no.

Kihyun stood in front of her, hands fluttering uselessly for a second, before he remembered Changkyun’s phone number in his pocket. Right. He could, he could call him. Right?

“Hana, sweetie, don’t cry, I’m going to call Kyunggie, okay? I’m gonna call him, and, and we’ll get your rabbit here. Okay?”

“Kyunggie’s working,” she cried, rubbing at her eyes with no end in sight for the tears falling from them. “Can’t. They’ll be mad.”

“Maybe, maybe he can. I’m gonna call him, okay sweetie?”

Kihyun pulled his phone out of his pocket, glancing back to where Hana was softly crying, Jooheon having pulled her onto his lap, stroking her head, before quickly going to the saved number.

(Yes, he had the number saved. It wasn’t weird. It was for… emergencies. Like this one!)

“Hello? Kihyun?”

“Hi, Changkyun, sorry for calling, but Hana left her rabbit at home. Any chance you can go back and--”

“ _Oh fuck_ . Oh no. Oh shit fuck I didn’t _think_ \--” Changkyun groaned loudly, muffled by what must be her hand. “Fuck, she’s going to be inconsolable, I’m an _idiot_.”

Kihyun sighed. “...So, I’m assuming you _can’t_ go get the rabbit. Because she’s crying and…” Kihyun trailed off.

“No,” Changkyun said, like it hurt. “No, I can’t, I’m already so late, they’ll fire me, I…” he trailed off. “Hyung, I’m so sorry to ask, but--God, I know how she gets without that rabbit. You can’t maybe go get it? Please, I’m so sorry, I know I’m asking for a lot--”

“I don’t know-- Maybe? How far away do you guys live?”

“...Do you have a car?”

“I’m a daycare teacher. No, I don’t have a car.”

“...Do you mind a vigorous morning jog?”

Kihyun sighed. Again. But, Hana’s cries were getting particularly loud and petulant behind him, and, like children are wont to, some of the others were starting to cry as well. If he _didn’t_ get that rabbit, it was going to be a _day_ at the daycare. And Kihyun did _not_ have the energy for that.

“Well, I guess I’m not gonna have to.”

He heard Changkyun exhale in relief. “Thank you, hyung, thank you so much, I owe you one. I’ll text you the address, it’s just a few blocks but we usually take the bus. Uhm, there’s a key hidden between two bricks just under the window on the right of the door. _Thank you_.”

“Okay, Kyunggie, have a nice day,” Kihyun said, pressing the end call button before what he said actually registered in his actual brain. Oh my _god_ . Did he just-- he couldn’t have-- _oh no_.

 _Why was he like this_.

Kihyun shrugged off his apron and rushed towards Minhyuk.

“I have to go pick up this fu--this stupid rabbit now or she’s not going to stop crying. I talked to Changkyun--” _Because that’s his name._ “--and, yeah, I gotta go. Will you be okay?”

Minhyuk waved him off, nodding. “I’m experienced and all that jazz. I can handle a few kids. Also, I’ve got Suzy, what can go wrong.”

“Hey, what about me?” Jooheon asked, still sitting with a crying Hana on his lap.

“There’s a good idea. Hey, kids, who wants Teacher Honey to read them a story?”

Amid a chorus of cheers, Kihyun slipped out, grateful of the fact that he remembered to grab his coat, chilly wind nipping at his cheeks. Because quarter to seven in the morning is cold no matter what time of the year it is.

At least the directions Changkyun had given him were clear, even if he did live six blocks away, he still found the complex easily enough. It was, clearly, not in the same price range as most of the people who dropped their kids off at the daycare. It was obviously _far from_ that price range. He keyed in the code Changkyun had also very helpfully provided, eyed the electric fencing, climbed the stairs to the second floor, and found the key wedged between two bricks (glancing around for any prying eyes before he did so), clearly hidden and if Kihyun hadn’t known where it was, he wouldn’t have found it. That was… something at least.

Kihyun unlocked the door, stepped in and… wow. This place was small. It wasn’t even, it wasn’t even trying to be, to _look_ like something other than a college student’s first home, the only traces of someone else sharing the space some toys littered across the extremely small living room and kitchen space, and, through a door, a unicorn covered bed. Kihyun pushed open that door, being met with an unmade bed, almost taking up the whole room, the rest of the room being taken up with a wide desk, books scattered on its surface, nearly hiding the fact that there was a very old looking, closed laptop next to the lamp.

Kihyun peeked out of the room. Yep, the other room was a bathroom.

So that meant… oh. Oh. That was why Hana couldn’t sleep when Changkyun was studying. _That_ was why she complained about the lights. That was why Changkyun had looked so _incredibly_ guilty when Kihyun brought up Hana being tired. Oh. _Oh_.

The bunny was on the side of the bed, almost slipping of the side, clearly flung around while getting up. _Oh_. Kihyun blinked, picking up the rabbit.

He, he shouldn’t pry. He should go back, to his job, to the daycare, give Hana her rabbit so that she stopped crying, but… He couldn’t help himself. He _had_ to check the cupboards and fridge, seeing the very expected overabundance of instant-meals, bulk-bought ramen and cereals. There’s a bowl of fruit on the kitchen counter (mostly apples and bananas), next to a loaf of bread still unopened. There was milk and juice and water and those little sliced cheeses kids always liked and the freezer had frozen vegetables, peas, sweet corn, pumpkin. He closed the fridge door and felt immediately guilty. It wasn’t… It wasn’t like there was much in the way of cooking in the house, really, but there was food. For every microwave mac-and-cheese, there was a pack of vegetables, for every sugary cereal, there was some sort of fruit.

He had the rabbit. He had to go, and stop prying into people’s lives.

(Although he couldn’t help noticing that there weren’t any indications of another grown-up man sometimes being here. Not that it _mattered_ , and Kihyun quickly rolled his eyes at himself for noticing that, but _still_.)

He locked the door behind him, pushed the key back in between the bricks and rushed back to the daycare. Hana needed her rabbit.

And he was going to do his damn best to stop thinking about this stupid kid, who had very obviously, very recently, taken in his little sister in a flat that was probably far too small, had gotten her into one of the best daycares in the area and still managed to buy her those little cheese slices.  



	3. Sweetie

“Did you skip dinner last night or something?” Minhyuk asked, craning his neck to see where Kihyun was subtly pushing two lunch boxes out of sight.

“...Yes.”

Minhyuk squinted, lips pursed in a smile. “Alright. I’ll believe you. Two whole sandwiches, huh?”

Kihyun fidgeted, hand rubbing at the back of his neck.

“I got distracted. By something. Um, by that show…” Kihyun’s brain scrambled, trying to remember what, if  _ any _ show he had been watching recently. “That show. You know? The one. Yup.”

“Right, yeah, that show with the  _ actors _ ,” Minhyuk nodded thoughtfully. “I’ve heard of it. In passing.” He glanced past Kihyun, perking up. “Goodness, is that someone at the door?”

Kihyun glanced past Minhyuk to see Changkyun pushing open the door, leading a smiling Hana behind him by the hand.

“I should… go. Hana likes me,” Kihyun said, defensively, as Minhyuk’s smirk grew and he leaned back against the wall, arms crossed.

“Like brother, like sister,” Minhyuk sang under his breath, before giggling and skipping off to go bother Jooheon, escaping from the death glare Kihyun was attempting to send his way.

(Jooheon still seemed shocked by this, eyes wide as Minhyuk casually slung an arm around his shoulders like he didn’t do that every single day. Kihyun was waiting for the day Minhyuk casually kissed him on the cheek and Jooheon passed out. He couldn’t wait.)

Changkyun waved at him, smiling even as Hana kept tugging at his hand.

Kihyun smiled slightly, glancing down, resisting the urge to smile too wide. He didn’t need the teasing from Minhyuk. Although, he thought as he grabbed the extra lunch box, that was a ship that had kind of sailed long ago. Or, more exactly, when he’d checked his phone to see a ‘Thank you so much, hyung’ from Changkyun yesterday and made a sound he wouldn’t claim even at gunpoint.

(It might have been a squeal. Or, something that sounded suspiciously close to that.)

“Hi.” Kihyun couldn’t help it. He was smiling so wide his cheeks hurt a little bit. 

Changkyun smiled back just as widely, and they stood like that for what must only have been a few seconds, but when Hana tugged at Changkyun again, actually managing to throw the boy slightly off balance, Kihyun flushed as their gazes broke, Changkyun looking down at Hana. Yeah, maybe Minhyuk was onto something.

“Kyunggie, is Wonnie coming again today?” Hana pouted, yet looking incredibly stern as she squinted at her older brother.

“Hey, I thought you liked Hyungwon,” Changkyun defended, rubbing his own red ear between his thumb and index finger. “And, no, he’s in Japan, sweetie, I’ll be picking you up.”

“Good!” She tugged at him again and it looked a lot like being scolded. 

“Hana missed her Kyunggie,” Kihyun chimed in, smiling fondly at the little girl.

Hana nodded, two big, authoritative nods. “Teacher Fairy missed his Kyunggie, too.”

Kihyun choked and started coughing.

Changkyun’s fingers stilled, eyes wide and cheeks flushed and Kihyun kinda wanted to die. Right now. That would be great. “Hana, sweetie…”

“What? I like when you pick me up. You smile so much here, and not just cos you think I’m looking.”

“Oh my god,” Changkyun said from behind his hand, before looking over at Kihyun who was still holding the lunch in his now sweaty hand. Why was this his life. Why were children like this. “I’m so sorry, she’s still…” Changkyun laughed nervously. “She calls me your bride half the time I can’t really stop her--why did I  _ tell  _ you that--”

“That’s-- that may be my fault I said something once-- I wasn’t referring to you but--” Kihyun stuttered, bringing his hands around to knot anxiously around the lunch box, shoulders hunching. 

“I don’t mind! I’m just saying that’s what she says and I was just saying sorry if that makes you uncomfortable, I am  _ rambling _ \--”

“You both  _ do _ realise that Hana’s already put up her own coat, right?” Jooheon asked, walking past them with a stack of small chairs.

Kihyun blinked and looked around the see Hana already unboxing a new puzzle, upending all the pieces onto the table. Huh.

“Oh.” Kihyun looked down, spotted the lunch box in his hands, and held it out. “Here. I, I accidentally packed another lunch box. Um. Thought you might want it.”

Changkyun blinked at the lunchbox in confusion. “There’s a yogurt cup in there.”

“...Yes?”

“You accidentally made a sandwich and put in a yogurt cup?” Changkyun blinked again.

“...I also somehow bought an extra yogurt cup. Thought I might as well give it too.”

“Right.  _ Right _ , I think what I meant to say was ‘thank you’,” Changkyun pinched his features together, cheeks red, before laughing softly, taking the lunch box from Kihyun and smiling at him. “Thanks. I, er, happen to love yogurt cups. And sandwiches. Er, thanks.”

“Kihyun, will you please come over here and…” 

Minhyuk’s voice trailed off, lost in the confusion of the general noise of the daycare. 

“I, I should-- work--” Kihyun said, turning slightly. 

“Yeah! Me too!” Changkyun walked backwards and nearly fell over a tiny chair. “Hah, see you at six.” Changkyun saluted, lunch box in hand, turned, and left.

When Kihyun got to Minhyuk, a slightly stupid smile on his face, Minhyuk took one look at him, sighed, and said, “Yeah, I’m sure you were  _ real _ hungry.”

 

\---

 

Changkyun wasn’t there at six. Or six fifteen, or six thirty. Kihyun unlocked his phone for the fifth time in as many minutes but still, nothing.

“Teacher Fairy,” came Hana’s distressed voice (it had been getting more and more distressed the longer Changkyun didn’t show up) piped up. “Where’s Kyunggie?”

“I… he’s just running a little late sweetie. He’ll show up. Wanna watch an episode of Pororo?”

Hana sniffled and shook her head. 

“No. I want Kyunggie. He said he’d come. Fairy, he said he’d come.”

Kihyun didn’t know what to do. He’d had children who’d felt anxious, who’d cried when their parents were late (although, admittedly, none of them had been later than perhaps fifteen minutes), but Hana seemed almost  _ hysterical _ , starting to sob, breath hitching and body shaking as her eyes stayed trained on the doorway, like Changkyun was going to show up any second. 

“Oh, honey,” Minhyuk said, in that soothing baritone that always worked, crouching down to his haunches to slowly card his fingers through her hair. “He’s coming, I promise. I’m sure he just had to stay a bit late or missed the bus or something, okay?”

Jooheon leaned over to Kihyun and asked in a whisper, “Is he still not answering?”

Kihyun glanced at Hana, who now seemed focused on Minhyuk whispering softly to her, before looking at Jooheon and shaking his head.

“It’s weird. He had always at least texted me before, even if he couldn’t answer the phone. He’s  _ so protective  _ of Hana. I hope…” Kihyun trailed off, biting his lower lip, worry starting to beat heavy through his chest. He didn’t want to voice his other worry. That maybe, maybe something had happened. Something bad. It wasn’t… unheard of. It wasn’t even that uncommon. Accidents happened. It was a part of life.

But…

This was Changkyun. And this was Hana. And Kihyun could feel his chest start to tighten up at the possibility, at the thought that Changkyun-- that Hana--

“What if we watched an episode of Goblin together?” Kihyun said, smiling softly at Hana, distracting himself from that tight feeling of worry in his chest. “And, if the episode finishes and Kyunggie  _ still _ hasn’t shown up, we’ll go wait for him at home, hm?”

Hana wiped at her eyes, looking between Minhyuk and Kihyun. He’d seen that before, too, the way she always looks for someone else to agree first, to approve, before doing something. Sometimes, not always, but sometimes.

“Okay... Can we watch episode six?”

“Of course, sweetie.”

Jooheon leaned in again, frowning. “You’re okay with taking her home? I know you’re here before us all in the mornings. If you’re too tired I can…?”

Kihyun was shaking his head even before Jooheon had finished his sentence. 

“I already know where they live and where he keeps his spare keys.” Kihyun sighed. “God, I hope he gets here before that. I don’t mind, but.” He bit his lip. Hana could hear him. He wasn’t going to make her, or Jooheon, worry any more. “You and Minhyuk can go home, by the way. It’s just one kid and I lock up all the time anyway.”

“If you’re sure, hyung…” Jooheon trailed off, already eyeing the door. Kihyun smiled slightly. Jooheon was a good guy, but Kihyun knew they were all bone-tired at the end of the day, and he didn’t blame Jooheon for wanting to leave.

Minhyuk came closer, bag already slung over his shoulder.

“You’re fine, right Kihyun? I wanted to take Jooheon to meet Shownu today so…”

Kihyun had to laugh. “Of course. Of course, Minhyuk, you three have…” He waved them off. “Fun.”

Minhyuk, bless his soul, actually blushed. “I’ll keep you updated.”

“Please do not do that.”

“Come on, Joohoney,” Minhyuk said, throwing his arm around the boy (again) and Jooheon glanced back at Kihyun, looking curiously like a kid being led to the deep end of a pool.

A plaintive, “Fairy?” dragged Kihyun out of his musings, and he turned around to see Hana sitting in what seemed to be a cushion nest she had constructed. She patted the spot next to her.

“I made a fort so the bad people can’t get us,” she said, patting away at the cushions, eyes still red, but calm, for now. 

Kihyun had a sudden memory, of being angry, being  _ confused  _ at Changkyun when he’d insisted that a three year old girl ‘can take care of herself’, because hell, what three year old girl needed to, but he… It made sense, now. Hana was so incredibly tough.Tough, in a way Kihyun recognised from a boy who managed to smile brightly even with heavy, dark rings under his eyes.

So, with a smile and barely even a  _ thought _ to being resentful at his own time wasted (it wasn’t, not really), Kihyun walked over, sliding in beside Hana and pulling her into him, placing a small kiss on her head as he pressed play on the episode. 

 

\---

 

It had been easy, for a while, to just take each day the way you take a breath. One at a time.

But then breathing becomes difficult and you struggle to take them as much as you struggle to take the days, to reassure yourself because who else will, to just--

Changkyun took a deep breath.

_ No, he could do it. _

He glanced out the window. It was dark, and city lights had replaced the greenery hours ago, and Changkyun could do as little about the passage of time as he could about what he did with it. His phone was a dead weight in his pocket and his crutch for the last few days was in Japan and Hana was probably crying but he could only fucking seperate forks and knives until his boss decided Changkyun’s life was worth living outside of that delicious smelling hell-hole. (Which started to smell absolutely nauseating after a few hours.) Which, to his absolute horror and guilt all mixed up in a cocktail of anxiety resting in his stomach, was two hours after he was meant to go pick Hana up from daycare.

He hit his forehead against the cold glass of the bus’ window and cursed. He could only hope that Kihyun wouldn’t… wouldn’t fucking hate him for this. Wouldn’t spark, again, that sense of shame from just being a stupid kid having to take care of his little sister but not even thinking about maybe studying somewhere the light didn’t bother her or--or hell, just  _ forget _ to do the laundry because he was too busy stressing about his essay or--

Changkyun breathed against the glass, watched as it fogged up and decided to derail that train of thought before it crashed.

Unfortunately, it had taken a little side route--an unplanned detour, you could say--and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to smile or sigh. He fiddled with the lid of the lunch box he’d been handed earlier by… Well.

See, here’s the  _ thing _ .

Hana really liked Kihyun. That much had been obvious from the beginning; ever since she started using everything but his actual name to refer to him by; ever since she started looking forward to going to daycare instead of dreading it, mentioning friends by way of ‘Fairy said we’d get along’ or simply told Changkyun things about the pink-haired boy like Changkyun wanted to hear about them. Which…

Well, here’s the  _ thing _ .

Changkyun wasn’t sure when, exactly, he started looking forward to the little tidbits Hana told him about the ‘Fairy’, when he started prompting her, started being obvious enough that even his little kid sister could see it. He didn’t know when he started making excuses to stay longer and longer each time he went to drop Hana off, or went to pick her up, but it had become a  _ thing _ . 

(A thing that made Changkyun smile like an idiot in his bed at night, daydreaming about things that were unreachable and not for someone like him, not someone who was still struggling to take care of himself, let alone his little sister.)

Changkyun’s smile faded. 

It had become so much of a  _ thing _ that his boss had noticed, had been making him stay later and later each night. Working him harder and harder each day, blaming every little mistake on him more and more. Changkyun winced as he moved his shoulder and it protested, the fully loaded platters he had carried around that day making themselves known.

Fuck, he just wanted to lie down with his little sister and watch a show after giving her a nice meal, something she loved, made sure she slept well, but he’d already screwed it all up by being two hours late. He really hoped she was still at daycare. Kihyun… Kihyun knew where he lived, had even seen his apartment, but it still made his stomach turn to think of Kihyun seeing just how down on his luck he was.

The bus neared his stop, and Changkyun kept his finger on the button, already having gotten up to stand at the door, backpack  _ digging  _ into his aching shoulder. The bus driver, a kind, greying man with a picture of his kids on his dashboard, stopped the bus before he could press the button, nodding at Changkyun. Changkyun almost laughed. He saw this bus driver as often as he saw Kihyun.

The doors opened and his muscles ached as he ran, and the light was still on and he was pushing on the door before even remembering that he was supposed to press the buzzer, but it clicked open nonetheless.

It was odd, seeing the big, bright space void of children and sounds and completely neat except--except for the pile of pillows and a laptop set up, a familiar show playing on the bright screen and two dark shapes, (Hana and Kihyun, Changkyun’s mind said, through the frantic beating of his heart) curled up on the cushions.

The door closed behind him without his help and his backpack slipped off his shoulder to fall with a muffled thump, and his chest had never felt so empty and so full at the same time.

Changkyun took a hesitant step forward, struggling to believe the sight in front of his eyes.

Hana, Hana was completely curled into Kihyun, face pressed against his chest and seemingly fast asleep, while Kihyun… Kihyun had both arms around her, pulled tight against him. Changkyun stepped forward, thinking he was asleep, when, with a lethargic movement, Kihyun lifted his head, eyes heavy and voice soft, slightly hoarse, as he breathed out, “You’re here,” a soft smile curving the corners of his lips.

“I,” Changkyun started to say, but he didn’t trust his voice not to break, didn’t trust his legs not to just give in, didn’t trust himself not to just fall forward and into the older boy.

“Changkyun?” Kihyun’s voice was still soft, still sleepy, but he was frowning now, as if he couldn’t understand why Changkyun was still so far away.

“I’m… I’m so sorry,” Changkyun said and when his voice broke and his legs gave in and he fell forward it was nothing but inevitable. He could feel how tight his chest was, how every part of his body hurt but he was leaning into Kihyun and the parts of him that touched Kihyun hurt just a little bit less.

“Changkyun…” Kihyun trailed off, and Changkyun could feel him shifting beneath Changkyun’s head that had fallen forward to lean against Kihyun’s chest. Changkyun was preparing to move away when he felt a hand touch his head. 

It was soft, so soft, at first, barely there, barely anything at all, until it wasn’t, and Kihyun was carding his fingers through Changkyun’s hair while Changkyun, completely without his own permission, was crying quietly into Kihyun’s shoulder.

Changkyun took a deep breath, and even around a quiet sob and that tightness in his chest, it felt just a tiny bit easier than it had before.

 

\---

 

Kihyun didn’t know when he fell asleep. Or, not asleep. Just… drifted off, lost track of time. He remembered smiling softly as Hana giggled at the antics on the Goblin, of brushing her hair away from her face, about wondering, yet again, where Changkyun was, and then pushing that thought away again. 

And then, the next thing he knew, the door was opening, there was a thump, and he lifted his head, and saw Changkyun standing in the door, face slack-jawed and wide-eyed. And then…

And then, somehow, Changkyun’s face was in Kihyun’s shoulder, and he was crying, and Kihyun didn’t know what to do, didn’t know what to feel, was still half asleep, even as he dragged his fingers through Changkyun’s hair in a soothing gesture he had done a million times before for crying children.

“Changkyun,” he tried again, hand slipping down to lightly cup the back of Changkyun’s neck, thumb rubbing softly. He didn’t know why. It just… felt right. 

Changkyun took a small shaky breath and nodded against him. “S-sorry.”

Kihyun’s lips quirked into a smile. “It’s okay, sweetie.”

Changkyun’s grip on his sweater tightened for a second. The exact amount of time, coincidentally, it took Kihyun to realise what he had just said.

Oh no. Oh  _ no _ .

Kihyun startled upwards, backing away, opening his mouth to, to  _ apologise _ , to say  _ something, _ but in the process he bumped Hana, and she blinked herself awake, spotted Changkyun, and flew into his arms without another word.

Changkyun immediately pulled her close, eyes pressed closed and face mostly hidden in her tiny shoulder. “H-Hi, pumpkin. I’m so sorry I’m late. I’m so, so sorry.”

“I thought, I thought you weren’t coming anymore, and-- and I didn’t know--” Hana started saying, her tiny voice breaking slightly and Changkyun looked up at Kihyun, tears still staining his cheeks, and he looked so…  _ lost,  _ for a moment. She trusted him so much, loved him so much, Kihyun couldn’t even  _ imagine _ …

Kihyun couldn’t even imagine how hard it must have been to always be strong for someone else.

Kihyun reached out, wiping away the tears on Changkyun’s cheeks and pulling away just as Hana pulled away to look up into Changkyun’s, now tearless, face.

“You won’t leave me, right, Kyunggie?”

“Never.” Changkyun smiled at Hana like she was his whole world. “Never ever.”

Kihyun sucked in a breath and coughed slightly. This was obviously a highly personal moment and he shouldn’t be intruding and maybe if he just scooched away real sneaky--

“Good,” Hana said, “And I watched an episode ahead of you because you were late.”

Changkyun put a hand to his heart. “Hana, how could you?” Hana laughed and Changkyun smiled, tired but genuine. He ruffled her hair. “Go get your coat. I think we’ve kept Kihyun-hyung here long enough.”

Kihyun watched as Hana stumbled to her feet, knowing he should get up to help her, but his body was tired, and heavy, and unwilling to leave the pillow fort that was oh so comfortable.

“What happened?” Kihyun asked, softly, looking at Changkyun next to him, shoulders slumped.

Changkyun sighed, running a hand over his face. “I… My phone died. I forgot that I’d plugged out my charger to charge Hana’s fu--freaking furby. I really, really hate that thing. And then I was stuck at work and I couldn’t let anyone know, Hyungwon isn’t even  _ here,  _ I was literally stuck there and I couldn’t even text you.”

Changkyun looked close to crying again, shoulders slumping even further and, without really thinking about it, thinking about the consequences about what he was about to say, Kihyun blurted out, “You know, you don’t have to do this alone. I could take her home some nights, or make some food. I know where you live, so like, it’s not that big a deal.”

Changkyun stared at him, bottom lip wobbling. “I.. I can’t pay you…”

Kihyun’s eyes widened, and he shook his head frantically. “No, no that’s not what I meant. You don’t have to pay me, that wasn’t what-- it’s fine. I want to help you.”

Changkyun bit down on his lip and it stopped wobbling for a second. He opened his mouth as if to say something but instead leaned forward and pulled Kihyun into a hug. Kihyun startled, before hesitantly putting his arms around Changkyun. It seemed to be all the invitation Changkyun needed to relax into them.

“I don’t know how to thank you.”

Kihyun laughed lightly, arms settling more comfortable around Changkyun.

“Keeping your phone charged would be a start.”

Changkyun scoffed. “At least I remembered to bring your lunch box back.”

“Oh, yes, because that’s the important thing here.”

“Nah, the important thing is that it was a really, really good yogurt cup.”

“Kyunggie? I want to go home now.” Hana was standing next to them, rubbing her eyes, backpack on and bunny in her arms. “Is Kihyun coming with us?”

Hana was asking them a perfectly reasonable question, but they both froze, pulling away quickly and as far as Kihyun could tell Changkyun was looking at him as much as Kihyun was definitely not looking at Changkyun.

“Uhm,” Changkyun said, eloquently before frowning and looking towards Kihyun, cheeks slightly flushed (Kihyun was going to ignore that). “Actually, are you okay getting home?”

“I usually take the subway, or bus. I should be fine.”

“Okay,” Changkyun nodded, standing up. “Er. Thanks again, for taking care of her. I’ll, er, text you?”

“It was my pleasure,” Kihyun said sincerely, smiling. This was one thing he couldn’t fake for the life of him. “Yeah, just let me know when you need any help with Hana.”

“You’ll be hearing from me a lot then,” Changkyun mumbled, sheepish but smiling softly as Hana hung off his sleeve, tugging lightly.

Kihyun huffed out a laugh. “Well, okay then.” He stepped forward, grabbing his own bag from behind the counter and scooping the keys up, hand trailing through Hana’s hair as he stepped past her to open the door. “Well, come on then. We all have someplace to be, I’m guessing.”

“Home sounds great, actually,” Changkyun said, Hana trailing behind him as they left the daycare, her little eyes fluttering closed. Changkyun laughed softly. “Tired?”

“Yes.”

Changkyun blinked up at him, looking away from Hana who--who he had clearly been talking to. He could not have more clearly been talking to Hana. Good lord. Kihyun blinked, looking away, hand coming up to rub at his neck. Changkyun laughed softly, even as he gathered Hana in his arms, her face immediately turning into his chest, eyes closed. 

“No offence, Kihyun, but I think you’re a bit heavier to carry. Will you make it to the bus station?”

“I’m-- I thought you were talking to me-- I didn’t--” Kihyun stuttered, turning away, already walking faster. He was such an  _ idiot _ when he was tired. He shouldn’t be allowed around other people  _ wow _ .

“It’s okay, Kihyun, it’s actually kinda cute.”

“Teacher Fairy is very cute,” Hana mumbled, surprisingly clear for how sleepy she seemed to be.

Kihyun could feel the heat creeping up his cheeks, and he was glad for the relative safety of the dimly lit street. Well, less brightly lit than the daycare, at least. “I-- I’m not cute, I was just-- I’m just tired,” he protested. (Weakly, at that.)

“Yeah, and you’re cute when you’re tired. And I am, apparently, incapable of filtering myself,” Changkyun said and when Kihyun glanced at him from the corner of his eye, Changkyun was glancing at Kihyun, an abashed grin on his face, which widened slightly as he caught Kihyun’s eye.

Kihyun pursed his lips, before giggling and saying, “Well, that’s kinda cute too, I guess.”

Changkyun laughed, cheeks pink and looking at the pavement as they walked and the bus station neared like a light at the end of a tunnel. Hana was breathing out even little breaths, and when Kihyun quickly checked his phone in their companionable silence (Kihyun didn’t trust his sleep deprived brain to fuel any sort of reputable conversation at the moment) he saw the bus shouldn’t be much longer. Just a few minutes, if the schedule held.

Kihyun leaned on the walls of the bus station, Changkyun sitting down, Hana now apparently fast asleep in his arms. Kihyun chewed on his bottom lip, watching as Changkyun ran his hand over Hana’s head soothingly. Kihyun felt a curious twinging in his chest, and he looked away, berating himself. He should  _ not _ feel this way about a boy who seemed to have more issues than hairs on his head. 

_ What the hell had he gone and called him sweetie for, anyway? _

Changkyun let out a breath, leaning his head back. “I… really am sorry about tonight. I know you work hard and you’re tired, too. It wasn’t fair of me and then you actually offer to help me? But, yeah. Sorry.”

Kihyun shrugged, uncomfortable with the thanks. He never knew what to do, what to  _ say _ when people thank him, or compliment him. “Uh, yeah. I mean, I could see you were struggling. And like, Hana’s a great kid and all…” He trailed off, biting on his lip. Saying more would make an unprofessional night even  _ more _ so.

Changkyun winced. “I kinda broke down back there, didn’t I?”

Kihyun glanced over to see Changkyun leaning back with closed eyes. “A little bit. But, I mean, for all I know it was an appropriate reaction for whatever your circumstances are.”

Changkyun scoffed. “You’ve been to my house. I’m pretty sure you know what my circumstances are.”

Kihyun felt something cold start down his spine, but before he could open his mouth and say something probably incredibly stupid, the bus pulled over to their stop. How Kihyun had missed a whole approaching bus was beyond him. Changkyun carefully stood up, moving Hana to his hip as she clung to him.

Kihyun kept his mouth as he followed Changkyun onto the bus, scanning his chip and slipping in beside Changkyun, who was cradling a now definitely sleeping Hana in his lap. There was a tenseness in the younger boy’s shoulders and Kihyun fidgeted.

The bus pulled away, and Kihyun turned to Changkyun. “I don’t-- I admit, I was slightly sceptical, slightly…  _ worried _ . But… you obviously love your sister. And you take care of her. I don’t know why, and it probably isn’t my place  _ to _ know why you’re in this situation, but yeah. You’re not doing that badly, you know?”

Changkyun turned his head from where it was resting against the seat, eyes barely open and a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “I’m not?”

“Nah. You’re doing just fine. Maaaaaaybe do a bit more laundry,” Kihyun grinned, “but you’re fine.”

Changkyun’s eyes fell shut with a soft laugh. “Oh, good. For a second there I thought you were only offering to help me because of my ‘circumstances’.”

Kihyun swallowed, looking over to see the boy almost leaning against him with closed eyes. His throat felt tight. “Of, of course not. Actually,” Kihyun took a deep breath. Okay, for once, he was going to be (a bit) brave. “Actually, I, I did it because, I, I-- I think you’re really cute, and you seem to work so hard, and I’m just… really intrigued by--” A soft snore sounded, and Kihyun looked over to see Changkyun resting against his shoulder, mouth hanging slightly open. Kihyun sighed, and smiled. Oh well, he tried, at least.

Kihyun’s flat was only two stops away, and, if Kihyun remembered correctly, Changkyun’s was about five. He’d just wake the kid up before he had to get off and Changkyun would just have to stay awake for a few stops. No biggie.

That was the plan, anyway.

It was, until the bus stopped at where Kihyun was supposed to (operative word:  _ supposed _ ) to get off, and the bus jolted a bit, just a little, just enough for Changkyun to stir and fully lean his head on Kihyun’s shoulder, Hana’s little fist bunching up in Changkyun’s hoodie.

Changkyun’s cheek was smushed up against Kihyun’s shoulder, hair fanning slightly and, and Kihyun’s heart was  _ clenching _ and he would feel betrayed by how soft his heart was if he wasn’t used to how quickly he crumpled in front of little kids using their puppy eyes. He did allow himself to feel mildly slighted at that apparently now extending to… well, a certain overworked boy now asleep on his shoulder.

...Maybe a few more stops wouldn’t kill him.

Kihyun sighed softly as the bus pulled away with his flat in walking distance, wondering exactly when and how he’d allowed this to happen to him. He used to be a strong, independent man that only gave in when little kids asked him stuff. Not when grown men fell apart in his arms and doted on their little sister. 

His eyes burned but he kept his eyes on the streets outside, making sure not to miss Changkyun’s stop. He’d glance down every now and then and Changkyun wouldn’t have moved at all, except for the occasional nuzzle. As little as Kihyun wanted to say ‘nuzzle’, there was really no other word for it. It was so… stupidly endearing, Kihyun wondered when he’d manage to find any sort of courage to try and say what he’d said before, but to a conscious Changkyun. He didn’t ponder on it for too long, however, not keen on the heat creeping up his neck and his ears.

It wasn’t long before Kihyun spotted Changkyun’s apartment building and, reluctantly, softly, Kihyun shook Changkyun’s shoulder, watching as his eyes fluttered open.

“Changkyun, hey.” 

Changkyun mumbled and buried his head back in Kihyun shoulder. 

“Hey, Kyunggie, you need to get up.”

Changkyun frowned and blinked hard, pulling away from Kihyun and rubbing at his eyes with a a hand and squinting around. “Right. Bus. Home.”

“Yup,” Kihyun popped his p, trying to erase the sappy expression he knew full well was on his face. Hana stirred as well with the slight commotion of Changkyun shifting to get up, putting her arms around Changkyun’s neck and clinging. Changkyun paused in the aisle.

“Er. Thanks. Again. Text me when you’re home safe,” Changkyun nodded, turning to shuffle further down the aisle and make his way off the bus.

Kihyun waved at him through the window, looked at the bus driver and, reluctantly, told him his stop.

“You know we passed that stop about twenty minutes ago?’

“Yep.”

“And you still--”

“ _Oh yeah_ .”

The bus driver tutted, grin playing around his mouth. “Okay then, back we go. But don’t expect me to wake you up, kid.”

“Noted.”

 

\---

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> it's cute af. come yell at us on twitter @shitty4eyes @booksandtea15


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